
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



JAN 131898 



PROBATION AFTER DEATH, 



OR 



IS THE HOPE OF SALVATION LIMITED TO 
THIS LIFE? 

NO. 



BY 

Philemon Pement. 

The Bible teaches that man's probation does not terminate with the 
death of the physical body, 



The theological world stands challenged to meet this 
issue in public. 

The Bible also teaches three places of reward instead 
of one only. 

LEARN THAT 

No man will be made a partaker of Satan's final punishment, unless he 
commits the sin against the Holy Ghost, and there is not 
one in all Catholic and Protestant Communiondom 
that could commit that sin if he tried 
never so diligently. 

The Sin Against the Holy Ghost Fully Explained. 

Read challenge on pages 9, 10, 11. Also the notice to all preachers 
on last page. 



PUBLISHED BY 

PHILEMON PEMENT, 
Moberly, Mo. 

Send all correspondence to above address. 




J 



Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1S97, 
By Philemon Pement, 
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C. 
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 



WASHINGTON 



PREFACE. 

~ HE theme that forms the subject of this work 
has seriously engaged the attention of many 
careful Bible students since the dawn of 
Christianity, but more especially since the 
Reformation. A few among the various schools of 
theology have at times seen the absolute necessity 
for continued probation beyond death in order that 
G-od might be what he declares himself to be, viz. : 
"No respecter of persons." 

Those who attained to such a degree of light, 
and possessed the courage of their convictions, have 
without exception come under ecclesiastical censure 
and expulsion from their respective communions. 

Such a spirit of intolerance and proscription is 
to be deplored. The lack of investigation ofttimes 
deprives us of the pleasure and enjoyment of sub- 
lime truths. Instance: Galileo, who espoused the 
theory of Copernicus, that the earth revolved in an 
eliptical orbit around the sun. This sublime truth 
Galileo was compelled to abjure upon his knees at 
the behest of the ecclesiastical authority of his day. 
This retraction he was compelled to make under 
pain of death, because the church was prompted by 




4 



PBEFACE. 



the false idea that such views were not in harmony 
with religion. Astounding as the facts have proven 
to be, the very Church that caused Galileo to abjure 
his scientific creed, is compelled to accept the views 
he held as true. 

Witness again : The Son of God was condemned 
and crucified by the (apostate) Church in his day, 
because the spirit of investigation was at such a low 
ebb that it was almost extinguished. So that when 
Jesus was mentioned to some as the prophet spoken 
of by Moses, they doubted it, and because he came 
from Nazareth the question was asked: "Can there 
any good thing come out of Nazareth ?" The answer 
given was: "Coine and see." Nathanael, who asked 
the question, being somewhat of an investigator, 
"proved all things," and declared on investigating: 
"Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King 
of Israel." The elders of the Jews who refused to 
investigate the claims of Jesus, crucified him, which 
was the result of ignorance, for said Jesus: "They 
know not what they do." This ignorance was fos- 
tered by a prejudice that forbade them investigating 
the claims of the long expected Messiah. Such was 
the condition of the people when Jesus came as the 
"Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." And 
notwithstanding that the Jews extolled the name and 
words of Moses, yet when he came, of whom Moses 



PREFACE. 



5 



had written, few were found to receive him. They 
even declared: "We know Grod spake to Moses; as 
for this fellow we know not whence he is," and 
Jesus answering them said: "Had ye believed 
Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of 
me. But if ye believe not his writing how shall ye 
believe my words V 7 

At this juncture the reader may ask this ques- 
tion: Can there any good thing come out of a dis- 
cussion of this nature? We answer: "Read and 
see." 

To some it may be preposterous to make the 
statement, that in the light of the nineteenth cen- 
tury the same intolerant spirit of proscription exists 
to-day as existed in the days of Galileo. But the 
flood-gates of research have burst upon the world 
and let in a tide of investigation that the priests of 
to-day can not control. Men to-day assert the divine 
right to prove all things, and to hold fast that which 
is good, without fear of being burned at the stake 
for their views. 

The day is passed when the lives of men are 
jeopardized by giving utterance to their honest con- 
victions, which do not harmonize with ecclesiastical 
authority. Yet it is a painful fact, that the embers 
of proscription are still alive, and would blaze as 
fiercely as in the dark ages, were it not for the 



6 



PBEFAOE. 



restraining influence of law and an enlightened pub- 
lic sentiment. But in many instances the influence 
of ministers is exercised to such an extent that many 
are deprived of the light that is dawning on the 
footstool of Grod ? and the language of Christ is appli- 
cable to-day to these traditionized expounders of the 
Word of God. 

"Woe unto you lawyers: for ye have taken 
away the key of knowledge, ye entered not in your- 
selves and them that were entering ye hindered. ?? 
Luke 11:52. 

It will not surprise the author if many are found 
who stand ready to condemn this work without 
having read it. Judgment no doubt will be passed 
upon it by some who never saw it. 

But as surely as the Lord has spoken by his Son 
Jesus Christ and by his holy prophets and Apostles 
he has proclaimed that a progressive probation 
extends beyond death, and that it will not cease 
until the great day of judgment, when Christ shall 
have finished his glorious reign of a thousand years 
on earth. And just as surely as man rejects the 
great truths uttered by inspired men of Grod and 
resists the flood of light and investigation which is 
now sweeping over the earth, just so surely will his 
life go out in darkness and despair. The passive 
mind is content and perfectly satisfied when assured 
that "all is well" by their respective pastors without 



PEEFAOE. 



7 



any further inquiry or investigation on their part. 
When they read the Scriptures, if it does not har- 
monize with their creed or discipline it must be dis- 
torted to suit the said creed or discipline. Such is 
not the case with the investigator. Eternal truth is 
Ms sole desire. And he will not be satisfied with any- 
thing short of it. He is not content with the decla- 
rations of uninspired men, whose source of authority 
has no higher fountain than erring humanity. 
He seeks for and must have a "thus saith the Lord" 
to appease his thirst after righteousness. 

It is an axiom that has been demonstrated time 
and again in the world's history, that it matters not 
however righteous a cause may be there will always be 
found Pharisees, lawyers, chief priests and hypocrites 
who are ever ready to condemn and extirpate any and 
all religious ideas which are not found in harmony 
with their views, which views may have no other 
foundation to rest upon than human tradition. 

The author does not expect any man to accept 
his words for the fact that the hope of salvation does 
not terminate with the death of the body. But he 
will certainly draw your attention to these astounding 
facts as they fell from the lips of the Savior and in- 
spired Apostles and prophets. Then if you are 
willing to believe God, Amen. If not, it is a matter 
between you and your maker. 



8 



PKEFACE. 



So thoroughly convinced is the author that pro- 
bation after death is a part of the great scheme the 
Lord laid for the ultimate redemption of the human 
family, that he stands ready to affirm that proposi- 
tion in any place on earth against any man. 

The challenge is given in a friendly spirit for 
the purpose of eliciting truth on this great question 
and not for the sake of contention. 

If the reader can come to a more thorough 
understanding of the character of God, and his great 
plan of salvation by a careful study of this help, it 
will be a source of pleasure to the author to know 
that he has accomplished some good, and the praise 
be given to him who rules heaven and earth, in his 
Son's name. Amen. In love, 

THE AUTHOR. 

Moberly, Mo., Sept. 17, 1897. 



CHALLENGE. 



THE FOLLOWING NAMED MINISTERS AND EVANGELISTS. 

Rev. E. R. Hendrix, LL. D., Bishop M. E. 
Church, South, Kansas City, Mo. 

Rev. John H. Vincent, D. D., Bishop M. E. 
Church, Topeka, Kan. 

Rev. E. H. Capen, LL. D., President Tufts 
College. 

Rev. Geo. E. Horr, D. D., Editor "The Watch- 
man, ?? Boston, Mass. 

Rev. Edw. E. Hale, D. D., Pastor, Editor, 
Author, Boston, Mass. 

Rev. Gr. P. Fisher, LL. D., Professor Yale Uni- 
versity. 

Rev. Chas. H. Parkhurst, D. D., Pastor, Writer, 
Reformer, New York. 

Rev. D. L. Moody, Evangelist of two continents. 

Rev. F. D. Huntington, L. H. D., LL. D., 
Bishop of Central Xew York. 

- Rev. Augustus H. Strong, D. D., LL. D., Pres- 
ident Rochester Theological Seminary. 

Rev. Theodore L. Cuyler, D. D., Brooklyn, 
N. Y. 

Rev. H. M. Wharton, D. D., Pastor, Evangelist 
and Author, Baltimore, Md. 

9 



10 



CHALLENGE. 



Rev. F. A. Noble, D. D., Pastor Union Park 
Church, Chicago, 111. 

Rev. P. S. Henson, D. D., Pastor First Baptist 
Church, Chicago, 111. 

Rev. W. M. Barbour, D. D., LL. D., President 
Congregational College, Montreal, Can. 

Rev. A. H. Currier, D. D., Prof. Sacred Litera- 
ture, Oberlin College, Ohio. 

Rev. Danl. Dorchester, Jr., D. D., Late Pro- 
fessor Boston University. 

Rev. Jno. S. Sewall, D. D., Bangor Theological 
Seminary. 

Rev. Ed. Abbott, D. D., Editor Literary World, 
Boston, Mass. 

Rev. Wm. C. Wilkinson, D. D., Professor Chi- 
cago University. 

Rev. J. C. Ryle, D. D., Lord Bishop of Liver- 
pool, England. 

Rev. Alex. McLaren, D. D., Fallowfleld, Man- 
chester, England. 

Rev. Francis L. Patton, D. D., LL. D., Pres- 
ident Princeton University. 

Rev. R. H. Conwell, D. D., Pastor Grace Baptist 
Church, Philadelphia, Pa. 

Rev. Wm. M. Lawrence, D. D., Chicago, 111. 

Rev. J. M. Buckley, D. D., Editor Christian 
Advocate, St. Louis, Mo. 



CHALLENGE. 



11 



Eev. W. E. Palmore, D. D., Editor, St. Louis, 

Mo. 

Rev. W. T. Moore, D. Columbia, Mo. 

Eev. T. P. Haley, D. D., Kansas City, Mo. 

Eev. J. B. Briney, D. D., Moberly, Mo. 

Eev. B. P. Fullerton, D. D., Pastor First C. P. 
Church, St. Louis, Mo. 

Eev. D. M. Harris, D. IX, Editor "Observer," 
St. Louis, Mo. 

Eev. E. M. Tinnon, D. D., Lincoln, HI. 

Eev. T. DeWitt Taloiage, Editor "Christian 
Herald," N. Y. 

Eev. Sam P. Jones, Evangelist. 

Eev. Jacob Ditzler, D. D., Louisville, Ky. 

Or any other minister of any denomination or 
creed, are hereby challenged to meet the author of 
"Probation After Death" at any time or place that can 
be mutually agreed upon, in the world, on the follow- 
ing question: 

"Eesolved, that the death of the physical body 
does not end probation." 

Philemon Pement, Affirmative. 
, Negative. 

We are not opposing individual opinions but 
systems which misrepresent both Grod and his Word. 
For this reason the affirmative will strictly adhere to 
the following rules: 



12 



RULES. 



1st. The King J ames translation of the Scripture 
to be the standard of evidence in this discussion and 
its decision to be final. 

2d. The person who accepts this challenge must 
furnish the affirmative party with bona fide creden- 
tials, attesting his qualifications to properly represent 
the Church of which he is a member, from the chief 
editor of the official organ of said Church. 

3d. The above specified credentials must be in 
the hands of affirming party ten days prior to the 
date set for said discussion. 

4th. In case of sickness either party will be 
allowed to choose a substitute, but in that case the 
negative substitute must furnish his own credentials. 

5th. Time and place of holding discussion to be 
mutually agreed upon. 

6th. The discussion must take place thirty days 
after date of signing articles. 

7th. Each disputant shall choose one moderator, 
the moderators then shall choose a third party who 
shall act as chairman. 

8th. The chairman shall not be a member of any 
church organization, but must be known as a man of 
strict integrity. 

9th. Roberts' Eules of Order shall be used in 
this discussion. 



DEDICATION. 



To all lovers of truth. To mothers, fathers, 
sons and daughters, who have been taught that their 
loved ones who have departed this life in an uncon- 
verted condition, and who have been made to believe 
that they are damned therefor, this volume is prayer- 
fully and respectfully dedicated. 

Read and learn that God has neither taught nor 
caused to be written such a doctrine as is promul- 
gated by self-made preachers of the nineteenth cen- 
tury. 

Learn that God's great plan of salvation will 
reach every son and daughter of Adam, and that 
only those who willfully choose to make their abode 
with Satan throughout the ages of eternity will ever 
reach the night of eternal sorrow. They can only 
reach that hopeless condition by committing the sin 
against the Holy Ghost. The author solemnly 
declares that not one in all Catholic and Protestant 
communions could commit that sin if he tried to do 
so. So, with the Apostle, we pray that you will 
"Lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble 
knees, and make straight paths for your feet, lest 
that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let 
it rather be healed. " Heb. 12:12, 13. 

That God may give his blessing to your investi- 
gation is my sincere prayer. 

THE AUTHOR, 

13 



CHAPTER I. 



One class of men above all others which should be 
cautious in giving expression to thought is the author 
who attempts to create public sentiment. He is in 
a great measure the moulder of public sentiment and 
the need for careful consideration of the thought that 
is to become public property is the more apparent, 
especially when that thought might exert such an in- 
fluence upon others as to change their whole course 
of life. 

If the opinion, secular or religious, be founded 
in truth, the prejudice formed thereby will be well 
founded. 

Therefore the author who publishes his views on 
any subject holds in his mental grasp, in a great 
measure, the minds of all perusing his works. He, 
of all men, should carefully weigh every thought 
advanced, in order that it may not be found con- 
flicting with truth, already revealed. 

For truth will always be found to harmonize 
with itself. It matters not how far apart it may 
exist, it will always be the same enduring rock, that 
neither time nor eternity can break or dissolve. Not 
so with falsehood, it abides only until exposed, then 

14 



FACTS ARE THE ONLY TRUE BASE OF INSTRUCTION. 15 

it exists only as an unpleasant memory which soon 
fades away. 

The author is a public educator, a formulator of 
sentiment, and he is responsible for the status of the 
masses on scientific, political and theological sub- 
jects to an important degree. His thoughts often 
become the avowed thoughts of others ; his views 
their views, and great responsibility necessarily fol- 
lows. 

Proper education, or formation of public sen- 
timent, must be by a disclosure of facts and not 
fancies; of realities and not imaginations from an 
unfounded basis. 

Mankind, to be well instructed, should have, as 
a base for that instruction, an intelligent compre- 
hension of the subject undertaken. An opinion 
based on ignorance is, in the execution of its wrath- 
ful power, a tyrant of immeasurable proportions, 
and any attempt at its rectification becomes an Her- 
culean task. 

The opinions of many writers are imbibed by 
the general reader and the thoughtless student will 
indorse anything and everything they write, because 
of the popularity enjoyed by them — deservedly, or 
not. 

A writer, in speaking about books, says: 

u Think as well as read, and when you read, 
yield not your minds to the passive impressions 



16 MAN SHOULD THINK FOE HIMSELF. 

which others may please to make upon them. Hear 
what they have to say; but examine it, and weigh 
it and judge for yourselves. This will enable you to 
make a right use of books — to use them as helpers 
not as guides to your understandings, as counselors 
not as dictators of what you are to think and be- 
lieve." 

This language must appeal in the strongest 
measure possible to the man or woman who is striv- 
ing to arrive at a definite knowledge of truth. 

Whether we shall make of men and their writ- 
ings, "helpers" or "guides," "counselors" or "dic- 
tators," is a question of vast importance to each of 
us. Man's right of conscience must be well guarded. 

No man or set of men can rightfully demand 
the use of the brains of their fellow men. 

Thought can not be monopolized, although some 
have assumed the right to control the intellectual 
faculty of their fellows, and some would even dare 
to assume the same prerogative to-day. 

The basis of all individuality is the Glod given 
right to think for ones self, and the free expression 
of that thought is the manifestation of your person- 
ality. 

Too many readers are like those of whom Cole- 
ridge wrote, viz. : 

"There are four classes of readers: The first is 
like the hourglass, and their reading like the sand, 
it runs in, and runs out, and leaves not a vestige 



TRADITION VANISHES BEFORE INVESTIGATION. 17 

behind; a second is like a sponge which imbibes 
everything and returns it in nearly the same state 
only a little dvtier; a third is like a jelly sack, allow- 
ing all that is pure to pass away and retaining only 
the refuse and dregs; and a fourth is like the slaves 
of Golconda. who, casting aside all that is worthless, 
retain only pure gems." 

If mankind were of the latter class, old dogmas, 
which have swayed the world, and caused the few, 
who stood in opposition to them, to sacrifice their 
lives rather than stultify conscience and intellectu- 
ality, which the light that is permeating all things 
has revealed to be founded, not in truth, but in false- 
hood, together with other theories of man's inven- 
tion, that do not reflect the grand and glorious char- 
acter of the Creator, would at once be relegated to 
the great theological "bone yard," into which they 
must inevitably find their way accordingly as the 
advancing light is permitted to enter the minds of 
men. 

The "church" at one time held the undisputed 
authority to formulate and govern public sentiment 
and was supposed to be thoroughly informed on all 
subjects, and no man dared to express views contrary 
to her will. So that for centuries public opinion 
was of a degraded character, and a vile ecclesiasti- 
cism formulated it all. Philosophers, and scientist, 
whose brilliant intellects raised them above the ignor- 

2 



18 



CHURCH PERSECUTION. 



ance of their fellows, were coudemned and burned 
for their discoveries. Bruno, who revealed the 
heavens to man, suffered martyrdom at the stake 
for this gift to the world. Nor is the so-called 
liberality that exists to-day in Protestant Christen- 
dom of a more tolerant character. And it would 
seem almost incredible that in the most enlightened 
age of the world the same spirit of intolerant perse- 
cution should be manifested in one of the great 
Protestant Churches, as is evidenced in the case of 
Rev. Chas. A. Briggs, D. D., in New York in 1891, 
because of certain views expressed in his inaugural 
address on taking the Edward Robinson Chair of 
Biblical Theology in Union Theological Seminary, 
New York. 

The following extract from one of the charges 

preferred against him will show this learned man's 

trend of thought. His views, however, are not as 

broad and liberal as the God of Heaven proclaimed 

his plan of salvation to be — nevertheless time will 

compel modern ecclesiastics to teach the truth in its 

fullness, or else sink forever in oblivion when the 

"knowledge of the Lord covers the earth as the waters 

cover the sea." Says Dr. Briggs: 

" Another fault of Protestant theology is in its 
limitation of the process of redemption to this world, 
and its neglect of those vast periods of time which 
have elapsed for most men in the middle state be- 



PKOGKESSIVE SANCTIFICATION. 



19 



tween death and the resurrection. The Roman 
Catholic Church is firmer here, though it smears the 
biblical doctrine with not a few hurtful errors. The 
reaction against this limitation as seen in the theory 
of second probation, is not surprising. I do not find 
this doctrine in the Bible, but I do find in the Bible 
the doctrine of a middle state of conscious higher life 
in the communion with Christ and the multitude of 
the departed of all ages; and of the necessity of en- 
tire sanctification, in order that the work of redemp- 
tion may be completed. There is no authority in 
the Scriptures, or in the creeds of Christendom, for 
the doctrine of immediate sanctification at death. 
The only sanctification known to experience, to 
Christian orthodoxy, and to the Bible, is progressive 
sanctification. Progressive sanctification after death 
is the doctrine of the Bible and the Church; and it is 
of vast importance in our times that we should un- 
derstand it, and live in accordance with it. The 
bug-bear of a Judgment immediately after death, 
and the illusion of a magical transformation in the 
dying hour, should be banished from the world. 

"They are conceits derived from the Ethnic reli- 
gions, and without basis in the Bible or Christian ex- 
perience as expressed in the symbols of the Church. 
The former makes death a terror to the best of men, 
the latter makes human life and experience of no 
effect ; and both cut the nerves of Christian activity 
and striving after sanctification. 

"Renouncing them as hurtful, unchristian errors, 
we look with hope and joy for the continuation of 
the progress of grace, and the wonders of redemption 
in the company of the blessed, to which the faithful 
are all hastening ; and through these blessed hopes 
we enter into the communion of all saints, and have 
a happy consciousness of the one holy Catholic 



20 



PROBATION AFTER DEATH. 



Church, whose centre and majestic frame are chiefly 
in the skies, the one body of the one Christ. 

"The biblical redemption is a redemption of our 
race and of universal nature. 

"The Bible teaches that the material universe 
shares in the destiny of man, and is in throes of 
birth for this blessed hope. As the ancient Jews 
limited redemption to Israel and overlooked the na- 
tions, so the Church limited redemption to those who 
were baptized, and excluded the heathen and the un- 
baptized; and Presbyterians have too often limited 
redemption by their doctrine of Election. The Bi- 
ble knows no such limitations. The Bible teaches 
election, but an election of love. Loving only the 
elect is earthly, human teaching. Electing men to 
salvation by the touch of divine love — that is heav- 
enly doctrine. The one drives men away in despair, 
the other unites men with joy to the love of Cod. 
The Bible does not teach universal salvation, but it 
does teach the salvation of the world, of the race of 
man, and that can not be accomplished by the selec- 
tion of a limited number of individuals from the 
mass. The holy arm that worked salvation does not 
contract its hand in grasping only a few; it stretches 
its loving fingers so as to comprehend as many as 
possible — a definite number, but multitudes that no 
one can number. The salvation of the world can 
only mean the world as a whole, compared with 
which the unredeemed will be so few and insignifi- 
cant, and evidently beyond the reach of redemption, 
by their owu act of rejecting it and hardening them- 
selves against it , and by descending into such depths 
of demonical depravity in the middle state, that they 
will vanish from the sight of the redeemed, as alto- 
gether and irredeemably evil, and never more disturb 
the harmonies of the Saints. ;? — Inaugural Address, 
pages 53, 54, 55. 



INFIRMITY OF PKOTESTANT THEOLOGY. 21 

The learned Doctor, in some of the ideas ad- 
vanced, approximates the plan that God has laid in 
his wonderful Word for the redemption of every son 
and daughter of Adam. The depth to which he has 
descended in his investigations on the question of a 
future or " middle state of conscious higher life," and 
the infirmity of so-called evangelical Christianity, are 
admirably pictured in the following sentence: 

" Another fault of Protestant theology is in its 
limitation of the process of redemption to this world, 
and its neglect of those vast periods of time which 
elapsed for most men in the middle state between 
death and the resurrection." 

This ab]e divine evidently manifests a deep love 
for the race that the cold and unfeeling heart of the 
Church with which he communed could not under- 
stand. 

It must be admitted by all unprejudiced judges 
that Dr. Briggs sought to elevate the Church of which 
he was a member to a higher conception of God's 
love and care for his creatures, but like many re- 
formers of the past, he has been excommunicated 
because of the ignorance of her priests and their in- 
ability to comprehend the scheme of salvation 
wrought by Christ the Lord. 

Like many, who have attempted a reformation 
of systems that have become offensive to reason, the 
learned Doctor has not yet fully extricated himself 



22 



TRADITION — A CURSE TO MAN. 



from the mire of tradition by which it was his mis- 
fortune to be environed. As a result, some of his 
ideas, while they do not exactly harmonize with the 
Bible, are worthy of the careful attention of Bible 
students and must necessarily bear the fruit of 
further investigation, and generate a liberality of 
thought which will burst the cast iron fetters, by 
which the conflicting creeds of Christendom have 
circumscribed the minds of men and even prohibited 
them from appropriating truth, however sublime, 
when discovered without the pale of said organiza- 
tions. 

Abundant scriptural proof can be adduced to 
prove that 4 'probation after death" ? is a part of the 
plan that the Great Jehovah had in mind, when he 
formed man, and that the Bible teaches a continua- 
tion of probation after death as well as before death. 

We will also carefully consider the evidence 
urged against this position, thereby giving the reader 
an opportunity to impartially render an intelligent 
verdict on this most important question. 

The argument will be based exclusively on bib- 
lical teachings, and the opinions of authors will be 
given, not with a view to prejudice the mind of the 
reader, but as proof that eminent and learned men 
have been confirmed in these views, but have never 
revealed them sufficiently to unite them with G-od's 
great scheme for the salvation of the entire race. 



CHAPTER II. 



In considering the question of continued proba- 
tion after death it will be well to inquire what the 
term "probation" means. Webster defines it as: 
"First. Act of proving; proof. Second. Any pro- 
ceeding designed to ascertain truth, to determine 
character, qualification, or the like; examination, 
trial. Third. The state of man in the present life, in 
which he has the opportunity of proviDg his charac- 
ter, and being qualified for a happier state, moral 
trial." 

Man, who is on trial as to his fitness for a hap- 
pier state is certainly not in the least degree respon- 
sible (as far as he has been able to ascertain) for his 
presence on earth. 

It must be admitted by the most tenacious pre- 
destinarian that God did not consult Adam as far as 
his creation is concerned. Man had no part nor lot 
nor choice in the matter, but it was a free, absolute, 
and voluntary act on the part of the Creator to 
make man of the dust of the earth, and blow into 
his nostrils the breath of life whereby he became a 
living soul. There is no argument that can reason- 
ably be urged against this, and it is doubtful if a 
man can be found that would dare attempt to con- 

23 



24 



MAN NOT CONSULTED IN HIS CKEATION. 



tradict this last statement. And what can be said 
about Adam's creation can be said of every member 
of the human race. 

Not a solitary man or woman ever had the op- 
portunity to be consulted on this question, as to 
whether it was their desire to tabernacle in the flesh, 
as far as the Bible throws light on the question of 
our existence. 

Adam and Eve alone, having been created by 
the Lord as a direct act of creation, the rest of the 
human family exist, not by direct creation, but by 
reason of the laws of reproduction, which Adam and 
Eve were commanded to execute when God said "be 
fruitful and multiply. 7 7 

Their progeny were not consulted, and so it is 
down to the present day. 

We will now examine man's first probationary 
state, i. e. 9 when he was in the garden. 

The most zealous opponent of "probation after 
death" will be compelled to admit that Adam was a 
sinless creature when he left the hand of God, and 
was placed in the garden "to dress and to keep it." 
We have no intimation whatever that the Lord con- 
sulted Adam in any particular. 

It is true that God gave man dominion over the 
fish of the sea, fowl of the air, and every creeping 
thing, but the creation of both man and beast was 



ADAM KNEW NOT THE EXTENT OF HIS SIN. 25 

arbitrary on God's part, and neither was consulted, 
and in that sinless state man was placed under the 
restriction or law of not "eating of the tree of the 
knowledge of good and evil." 

The unprejudiced mind will readily admit that 
at the time Adam received that commandment from 
his Creator he had no knowledge of the amount of 
misery the violation of that law would entail on him 
and his posterity. Never having been subject to the 
power of evil he could not have known the terrible 
consequence of a subjection to that power, and not- 
withstanding the fact that Paul says, "And Adam 
was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was 
in the transgression.' 7 1 Tim. 2:14. We can not 
conclude from these words of Paul that Adam knew 
what the result of his transgression would be, with 
but one exception, and that is that he knew that he 
would "die." "For in the day that thou eatest 
thereof thou shalt surely die." Gren. 2:17. 

Adam was aware -of the fact that he would die 
in the day that he would eat of the fruit of the tree 
of the knowledge of good and evil, but he could not 
have known of the sorrow, affliction, grief, sadness, 
mourning, and lamentation that are incident to this 
life, nor of the death of Abel and the murderous 
career of Cain and a thousand attendant sorrows 
that followed in the awful wake of transgression of 
the law that God had delivered to him. 



26 



adam's fikst pkobatiok. 



Had Adam known all these things we can not 
but believe he would have kept that law. But even 
in Adam's transgression can be clearly seen the wis- 
dom and mercy of God, which we will make clear to 
the reader when we have reached that stage in this 
discussion. 

From the account given in the Bible we see that 
Adam's first probation resulted in his banishment 
from Edenic bliss as a result of his transgression, and 
it will not militate against the argument if we maintain 
that the entire human race was on trial in Adam. 
The result will be just the same, with this exception, 
that the rest of mankind can not be held account- 
able for Adam's sin, notwithstanding the fact that 
death passes upon them as it did on him. So St. 
Paul says: ' 6 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam 
to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after 
the similitude of Adam's transgression, who (Adam) 
is the figure of him (Christ) that was to come." 
Eom. 5:14. Adam and Eve were the only ones of 
all the human family that could transgress the law 
which God gave whereby death passes on man. 
There has never lived a man or woman who could 
repeat the sin committed by Adam and Eve, for the 
commission of that sin alone brought death on every 
member of the human family, and as Adam, by dis- 
obedience, became subject to death, he could not, in 



MAN CANNOT REPEAT ADAM ? S SIN. 



27 



the very nature of things, transmit to his offspring 
that which he had lost by his transgression. There- 
fore, Paul could say by inspiration, "For, as in 
Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made 
ALIVE." 1 Cor. 15:22. 

Xow we do not wish to be understood to say that 
man in his present state can not commit sin, the 
penalty of which is death. He certainly can, but if 
he does it will not be the first death his transgression 
will incur, but the second death will be his punish- 
ment. 

For the first death was entailed on the whole 
race by the transgression of one, but the second 
death will be visited only on those who commit the 
sin against the Holy Grhost. And we feel safe in 
saying that not a solitary member of all Protestant 
and Catholic Communiondom could commit that sin 
if he tried never so diligently. 

This sin, of which Jesus said there would be no 
forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come 
(Matt. 12-31, 32), will receive a full and clear expla- 
nation so that the reader will be satisfied that the 
foregoing statement is not in the least exaggerated. 

The following chapter will be devoted to an ex- 
position of the attributes of the Creator, which will 
include his avowed intentions and declarations rel- 
ative to man — whom he placed on earth as a free act 
of his will without consulting his creature in the case. 



CHAPTER III. 

The Bible represents God, who is man's Creator, 
as being possessed of the following attributes, viz. : 
Knowledge, power, love, unchangeability, mercy, 
justice, impartiality and purity. He is infinite, 
therefore all these attributes are perfect. He is 
omnipotent and omniscient. That which is of God 
will always harmonize with the attributes named; 
that which is not of him, and necessarily not true, 
will be found to conflict with one or more of them. 

It is sad for a disciple of the Master to contem- 
plate the indignity that is offered the Lord Almighty 
by the so-called evangelical ministry of to-day in 
representing him as not having formulated a system 
whereby all mankind might share in the joy of the 
knowledge of their redemption. 

To some this may sound as a strong indict- 
ment, and may excite a spirit of resentment. But 
the very declaration that the death of the physical 
organism effectually terminates salvation shows 
that God's plan is not effectual for all, in that thou- 
sands of millions have passed away without sharing 
in the benefits of salvation. Dr. Lampe says: 

"It is appointed unto men once to die, but after 
this the judgment. Destiny is then irrevocably fixed 

28 



THEOLOGY MAKES GOD A MONSTER. 



29 



and process of redemption is stayed. ?? — Briggs' Trial. 
Argument of the Rev. Jos. J. Lampe, D. D., p. 131. 

While the majority of evangelical churches do not 
believe in the absurd doctrine of Election and Rep- 
robation, as it is set forth in the creed of which Dr. 
Lampe is a staunch supporter, yet they all in the 
main agree with this declaration just quoted, and 
therefore do stand indicted with the charge of mis- 
representing Grod in the promulgation of such a 
doctrine. 

Bible proof is not wanting to show that the texts 

used by Dr. Lampe and his colleagues to refute the 

argument of Dr. Briggs, in his ideas of "progressive 

sanctification after death" (which is only another 

method of proving continued probation), were not 

used with an intelligent comprehension of the plan 

of salvation in its fullness, but were used directly to 

support a creed that has for one of its fundamental 

principles the election and salvation of a certain 

proportion of the human family irrespective of their 

volition, and the reprobation and damnation of the 

balance of mankind under any and all conditions. 

To more fully understand this theological monstrosity 

we will quote from the "Confession of Faith," to 

which Dr. Lampe and his colleagues subscribe. 

"By the decree of Grod, for the manifestation of 
his glory, some men and angels are predestinated 
unto everlasting life, and others foreordained unto 



30 



INVESTIGATION VS. PREDESTINATION. 



everlasting death. These angels and men, thus pre- 
destinated and foreordained, are particularly and 
unchangeably designed, and their number is so cer- 
tain and definite that it can not be either increased 
or diminished. Those of mankind that are predes- 
tinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the 
world was laid, according to his eternal and immu- 
table purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleas- 
ure of his will, hath chosen in Christ, unto everlast- 
ing glory, out of his mere free grace and love, 
without any foresight of faith or good works, or per- 
severance in either of them, or anything in the 
creature, as conditions, or causes moving them there- 
unto, and all to the praise of his glorious grace. 77 
Chapter III, pars. III, IV, V. 

It can easily be seen how men who can be per- 
suaded to subscribe to such views would stubbornly 
oppose and excommunicate any man from their 
number who should hold such exalted views as Dr. 
Briggs held when he exclaims: 

u The Bible redemption is a redemption of our 
race and of universal nature. The Bible teaches 
election, but an election of love. Loving only the 
elect is earthly, human teaching. Electing men to 
salvation by the touch of divine love — that is heavenly 
doctrine. * * * The holy arm that worketh salva- 
tion does not contract its hand in grasping only a few; 
it stretches its loving finger so as to comprehend 
as many as possible. 7 7 — Inaugural Address, p. 55. 

Let the reader contrast the sentiment expressed 
in these lines with that which is expressed in the 
foregoing and following, and supported by his (per- 
secutors) prosecutors. 



THE DAMNATION OF INFANTS. 



31 



"Elect infants, dying in their infancy, are regen- 
erated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who 
worketh when and where and how he pleaseth. So 
also are all other elect persons, who are incapable of 
being outwardly called by the ministry of the word. 
Others, not elected, although they may be called by 
the ministry of the word, and may have some com- 
mon operations of the Spirit, yet the} 7 never truly 
come to Christ, therefore they can not be saved; 
much less can men. not professing the Christian 
religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be 
they never so diligent to frame their lives according 
to the light of nature, and the law of that religion 
they profess; and to assert and maintain that they 
may, is very pernicious, and to be detested. 7 ' — Con- 
fession of Faith, pars. Ill, IV. 

Xon-elect infants (for the number of the elect is 
so "certain and definite that it can not be either 
increased or diminished' ? ) must accordingly be rele- 
gated to the regions of the damned throughout the 
endless ages of eternity. 

It is not to be wondered at that men who are 
broad enough to rise above such doctrines as these 
should openly .rebel against such absurdities. The 
wonder is that there are still found on earth men 
who can believe such doctrines, and possess sufficient 
hardihood to openly maintain them. 

We will at this juncture turn our attention to 
the design the Creator had relative to his creature, 
man. We will first of all consider the Being who 
brought man into existence, and ascertain what the 
creature can and may expect at his hands. 



32 THE GOD OF THE BIBLE. 

The Supreme Being, known as God in the Bible, 

is accredited with infinite wisdom, knowledge and 

power. This point is conceded by all denominations, 

but it will be well to see what he says in relation to 

himself on this question. 

"Remember the former things of old: for I am 
God, and there is none else; I am God and there is 
none like me. Declaring the end from the beginning 
and from ancient times the things that are not yet 
done saying my counsel shall stand and I will do all 
my pleasure. " Is. 46:9, 10. Also, "Known unto God 
are all his works from the beginning of the world. 7 ' 
Acts 15:18. 

These quotations with many more that might be 
presented will suffice to enable the reader to see that 
God knew that Adam would partake of the forbidden 
fruit and consequently "die. 77 

Any attempt to steer away from this conclusion 
must reveal the false premises occupied by such an 
one. Since God, in his infinite wisdom, knew that 
which would befall Adam, as a result of transgress- 
ing his law, this pertinent question might be asked: 
Why did he let Adam fall! It will be made very 
apparent why, when we can view the whole race on 
trial in Adam. 

God, foreseeing that Adam would fall, and con- 
sequently die, and thereby bring death on the whole 
human family, and since death would pass on all by 
reason of the transgression of one man, He could by 



ALL MEN TO BE MADE ALIVE. 



33 



the sacrifice of one, Jesus Christ, redeem and resur- 
rect the entire race. So, Paul could say in truth: 

''Therefore as by the offense of one, judgment 
came upon all men to condemnation ; even so by 
the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all 
men unto justification of life. ? ^ Eom. 5:16. 

6 'For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall 
all be made alive. 7 ' 1 Cor. 15:22. 

It is positively stated in the Scriptures that death 
was the penalty for transgressing the law relative to 
the eating of the "fruit of the tree of the knowledge 
of good and evil." Adam never was told that the 
penalty would be everlasting burning in a lake of 
fire and brimstone, but that he should die. Con- 
sequently whatever other punishment he would be 
compelled to suffer would be by reason of transgress- 
ing other laws given him by his Lord. 

At the time of the expulsion from the garden the 
Lord began to unfold to man the design he had in 
view relative to his creature. 

The seed of the woman should bruise the ser- 
pent's head. While this promise must have given 
them hope and consolation, there is nothing in it 
that gave them any idea as to how long it would be 
before that "bruising" would be accomplished. 
Jesus Christ is the one who is recognized as being the 
promised "seed of the woman." And John declares 
that: 

3 



34 



CHKIST IS LORD OF ALL. 



"For this purpose was the Son of Grod mani- 
fested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." 
1 Jno. 4:8. 

And Paul goes further in this thought, for he 
says: 

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers 
of flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the 
same; that through death he might destroy him that 
had the power of death, that is, the devil." Heb. 
2:14. 

The devil had the power of death, in that he 
caused man, by his lying subtlety, to transgress the 
law, by which death passed on him, and he held 
man in that condition until the death and tri- 
umphant resurrection of Christ, who is the seed of 
the woman. Therefore the inspired Paul could say: 
"For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and re- 
vived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and 
living. 77 Rom. 14-9. And Jesus, in speaking to John 
on the Isle of Patmos, says: "I am he that liveth, 
and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, 
Amen; and have the keys (authority over) of hell 
and death." Rev. 1-18. 

The bruising of the serpent's head can not be 
anything else than the destruction of his works, and, 
finally, himself. And this bruising is not yet ac- 
complished, inasmuch as the work of death, both 
temporal and spiritual, is going on at the present 
time, and will continue until Christ "shall have put 



A SOUL THIRSTING FOR LIVING WATER. 35 

down all rule and authority and power. For he 
must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. ?? 
1 Cor. 15: 24-26. 

To take the position that all this work is ac- 
complished, at the present time, would only reveal 
the absurdity of such a position. 

The wisdom of God devised a plan that would, 
ultimately, bring the entire race back to life from 
the death that it was plunged into by reason of the 
fall of Adam. 

But the theologians, through the poverty of their 
understanding, have so overcast the ethereal regions 
with the murky clouds of traditions that the Pole 
Star is hid from view, and the doctrines of men are 
so numerous that the magnetic compass points in 
every direction while the waves of doubt and per- 
plexity are engulfing mankind. Out of the depths 
of a famished soul, which is thirsting for the waters 
of life, and which has continually gone to a "broken 
cistern/ 7 wherein living waters could not be retained, 
Dr. Briggs is led to exclaim: "A new doctrine of 
Grod is one of the greatest needs of our time." — In- 
augural Address, p. 47. 

We would say nay. A new doctrine of G-od is 
not necessary. But the all essential is the unearth- 
ing of the doctrine of God that has been entombed by 



36 



THE BIBLE MEANS WHAT IT SAYS. 



the substitution of the vagaries of man for the decla- 
rations of Grod. And we too can say: 

u 0, when will men learn that the Bible means 
exactly what it says ! It may destroy our logic and our 
syllogism, our systems and our methods. These we 
have too long regarded as authorities. Logic and 
syllogism, system and method need constant criti- 
cism, verification, and revision; for too of ten they 
omit the essential thing. Their inductions are too 
narrow, their comprehension is too limited; they 
beg their premises and jump to their conclusions. 
The love of Grod to the world is more important than 
all the systems devised by men. It will shine for- 
ever as the central sun of the universe, when all the 
creeds and theologies have been buried in the obliv- 
ion of the eternities. It will go on through the 
centuries of the world, darting its rays of heavenly 
light, its beams of divine fire, and its regenerating 
and transforming movements, until the world knows 
that God loves the world, and the world adores him 
with loving worship.' 7 — Inaugural Address, p. 40. 

Oh that man could but learn the lesson that : 

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither 
are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the 
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways 
higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your 
thoughts/ 7 Is. 55-8. 

The Lord Almighty laid a plan of salvation that 

began from the foundation of the world. See Eev. 

13-8. The work of which will not terminate until 

death is destroyed, which will be at the end of the 

millennial reign of Christ. 



CHAPTER IV. 



God being possessed of infinite wisdom, and 
"declaring the end from the beginning," must have 
been able to foresee all the works of men, both good 
and evil, from the foundation of the world to the end 
thereof. And knowing this, it is not irreverent 
to ask, has he made ample provision for the salvation 
and exaltation of all the sons and daughters of men? 
Yes! for: 

"He is able to save them to the uttermost, that 
come unto God by him (Christ), seeing he ever liv- 
eth to make intercession for them. 7 7 Heb. 7-25. 
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is 
none other name given under heaven among men, 
whereby we must be saved." Acts 4-14. 

Seeing that salvation is obtained in Christ only, 
the reflective mind is amazed at the thought of God 
neglecting mankind for the vast period of time from 
the creation to the cross, if the process of redemp- 
tion is limited to this world, as Protestant theology 
teaches. But the limitation of redemption to this 
world never originated with God. It is the perverse 
interpretation of a portion of Scripture, and the utter 
rejection of that part of it which conflicts with the tra- 
ditions of men, when the plan of salvation is seen 
from only one point of view. 

37 



38 



"it shall bruise thy head." 



The promise that "the seed of the woman" 
should bruise the serpent's head, as before stated, 
was very indefinite, if what is recorded in the author- 
ized version be all the light that was cast on that 
promise. It is a very easy task for divines of to-day 
to dilate on the promises of Grod uttered by prophets 
and seers, many of them having received fulfillment 
as attested by the Word. Adam is represented as 
having understood all these things, when the facts 
in the case are, that all these Messianic prophecies 
were not given until after Adam had been in his 
grave hundreds of years, and the avowed purposes of 
Grod relative to his creature could not have been 
understood by Adam until they were revealed to 
man. "The secret things belong unto the Lord our 
Grod; but those things which are revealed belong 
unto us and to our children forever." Deut. 29:29. 

It can be clearly seen that a system of theology 
that limits probation to this life only has never com- 
prehended the illimitable scope and eternal sweep 
of this promise, "it shall bruise thy head." But in 
its narrow, bigoted, and contracted views has taught 
mankind a system of religion that has naught but 
despair for the vast majority of the sons and daugh- 
ters of Adam. 

From the time the Lord expelled Adam from the 
garden and drove him out to till the earth until the 



THE FLOOD. 



39 



flood is a period of about 1,656 years. During that 
dispensation, no promise appears to have been given 
whereby man would be reinstated in fellowship and 
in the presence of God again. 

True it is that Abel brought an acceptable offer- 
ing unto God, but the hand of Cain in his murderous 
career caused Abel to pass through the portals of 
death without God giving to mankind any additional 
promise. 

Nearly five hundred years after the death of 
Abel, Enoch was born, who walked with God, and 
after a sojourn of three hundred and sixty-five years 
on earth, God took him, and still no further promise 
was given. 

Men increased and multiplied, and became so 
terribly wicked that God declared in his wrath that 
he would destroy both man and beast from the face 
of the earth. Noah, and the other seven, with as 
many animals as entered the ark, were saved, and 
all flesh that remained on earth died. When the 
earth again began to be inhabited by man, and they 
multiplied, they set about building a tower. Then the 
Lord came down, and scattered them abroad upon 
all the face of the earth, and according to the record 
no promise was given until the days of Abraham, a 
period of over four hundred and twenty-five years 
after the flood. So that, in all, there elapsed a 



40 INFIRMITY OF PROTESTANT THEOLOGY. 

period of two thousand and eighty-three years from 
Adam's creation until the days of Abraham, and it 
seems that no promise, but the one given at the 
expulsion, could cast a ray of hope over a world that 
had sunk to such a depth of iniquity as to cause 
Grod, in his wrath, to execute the fearful judgment 
in Noah's time, and then to begin the race anew. 
What will become of those countless thousands of 
souls who were swept away by the flood, if probation 
is limited to this life only? Protestant theology 
holds up its bony, contracted hands in horror, 
exclaiming in hollow tones, "We do not know! 77 
And this admission is one of the most profound 
truths it ever uttered. Its utter destitution of knowl- 
edge on this subject is revealed in this admission, 
and any progress in this direction is branded as 
heresy, and its promulgators are invariably excom- 
municated. 

A careful study of the promises made by the 
Lord to Abraham will reveal the fact that Grod had 
not forgotten the promise made in the garden — "It 
shall bruise thy head. 77 Therefore the Lord said to 
Abram: 

" Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kin- 
dred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I 
will show thee: And I will make of thee a great 
nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name 
great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless 



ALL FAMILIES OF THE EAETH ABE TO BE BLESSED. 41 

them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth 
thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be 
blessed/ 7 Gen. 12:1, 2, 3. 

We are here given for the first time the design 
the Lord had in store for man, but it was not made 
known for a period of upward of two thousand years 
after the initial promise. Abraham is taken from 
his home, and commanded to go he knew not 
whither (Heb. 11:8) and to him the Lord made it 
known saying, "in thee' 7 all families of the earth 

ARE TO BE BLESSED. 

How overwhelming in its infinite sublimity is 
this declaration! What consolation it brings to the 
soul that is touched by love divine to know that 
Jehovah is its author, who says: "My counsel shall 
stand and I will do all my pleasure. 77 Is, 46:10. 

How it is possible for men of such scholastic 
ability, as the leaders of our Protestant denomina- 
tions are, to stumble at this promise is indeed a mys- 
tery. All the families of earth are to be blessed 
in Abram. And yet thousands, yea, millions, are in 
the embrace of death before the promise is given. 
If a blessing is to be given to all the families of the 
earth in Abram, will not those who preceded him 
be blessed as well as those who succeed him? The 
reader will also carefully note that this blessing 
was to be obtained at a future time from Abram 7 s 
day. 



42 THE UNFOLDING OF GOD 7 S PURPOSES. 

If Jehovah designed that all the families of the 
earth were to be blessed in Abram, then that bless- 
ing, whatever it would be, could only be given to 
those who had already passed into death, between 
death and the resurrection. Hence, if they are 
made the recipients of blessings, it is conclusive 
proof that their probation has not terminated with 
the death of the body, and what can be said of them 
can be said of all the families of earth. If there 
were no other scriptural support for this declaratory 
promise, it would be sufficient to demonstrate the 
purpose the Lord had in view, but there follow other 
declarations that not only confirm the first but grad- 
ually unfold to our understandings the manner in 
which those blessings are to be given. 

While the Lord was revealing to Abraham the 

great future that he had in store for him, Sodom and 

Gomorrah's cup of iniquity was rapidly filling. So 

the Lord appeared to Abraham, and conversed with 

him and partook of his hospitality, and arose and 

looked toward the iniquitous cities. 

"And the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham 
that thing which I do, seeing that Abraham shall 
surely become a great and mighty nation, and all 

THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED in 

him." Gen. 18:17,18. 

At this juncture the Lord reiterates the promise 
he had made to Abraham nearly a quarter of a cen- 



god's avowed puepose is to bless all nations. 43 

tury before. This time "all nations" are to be 
blessed at some time in the future. 

But there were nations of the earth that were 
destroyed by the flood. Shall these go unblessed? 
Nay, for God declared that all nations would receive 
this blessing, and those nations that had become 
extinct must come in for their share, and conse- 
quently the only place where they can possibly re- 
ceive this blessing is on the other side of the grave, 
where probation absolutely must extend, or else the 
promises of God are meaningless, and language is 
powerless to convey thought, if probation is limited 
to the earthly estate. For it is the avowed purpose 
of God to bless all families and nations of earth. To 
make this view still more emphatic, and to dispel all 
doubt and uncertainty on the most important sub- 
ject of earth, inasmuch as it involves the eternal 
destiny of man, let us carefully consider the ac- 
tions of him who is the father of the faithful, and 
the eternal decree that was proclaimed for his loy- 
alty and faithfulness. 

"We have seen how the Lord called Abram from 
his kindred and country, and the great promises that 
God made him, and also the reiteration of those prom- 
ises. And we learn that at the time of his departure 
from Haran he was "seventy and five years old." 

The Lord calls Abram out to survey the heavens, 
and "tell the stars if thou be able to number them; 



44 



ISAAC IS B0KN. 



and he said unto him, so shall thy seed be." Gen. 
15:5. Abram, up to this time, had no heir, but God 
declared his seed should be "as the stars of heaven," 
and it is written, "and he believed in the Lord, and 
he counted it to him for righteousness." Gen. 15:6. 

When ninety and nine years had whitened the 
head of Abraham, the Lord appears and fulfills his 
promise to him, and Isaac, the "child of promise" 
is born, for, 

"He staggered not at the promise of God through 
unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to 
God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had 
promised, he was able to perform." Rom. 4:20, 21. 

Abraham now realized the possibility of him 
becoming a great and mighty nation, in that God 
gave him the heir of promise of whom it is written, 
"In Isaac shall thy seed be called." Gen. 21:12. 

Abraham no doubt rejoiced at the thought of 
realizing these grand and most glorious promises, 
and possibly never dreamed of the terrible trial the 
Lord would require at his hand. So that when Isaac 
had grown up to young manhood God said: - 

"Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom 
thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; 
and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of 
the mountains which I will tell thee of." Gen. 22:2. 

What anguish of heart! What agony of mind 

and spirit, what thoughts must have been Abraham's 

in this terrific hour of trial! After waiting so long 



trial of Abraham's faith. 45 

for the fulfillment of the promise made to him years 
before, and now that he is made to rejoice in the 
realization of its fulfillment, the life of Isaac, whom 
he loved, is demanded, and worst of all, he, himself, 
must take it. Oh, man! Canst thou picture to thy- 
self the terrible drama that now presents itself to 
"the friend of God' 7 wherein he becomes the chief 
actor, while the hosts of heaven become the specta- 
tors of the greatest tragedy the world had ever seen? 
But in the midst of this excruciating trial, the faith 
of Abraham stood the test, for it is written: 

"By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered 
up Isaac; and he that had received the promises 
offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was 
said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called; account- 
ing that God was able to raise him up, even from the 
dead: from whence also he received him in a figure. ?; 
Heb. 11:17-19. 

With deliberation, 4 'Abraham took the wood of 
the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; 
and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and 
they went both of them together. And Isaac spake 
unto Abraham, his father, and said, my father; and 
he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold 
the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a 
burnt offering!" 

If there had been a possibility of shaking the 

faith of Abraham, and causing him to quail under 

such a tremendous trial, this question of Isaac's must 

certainly have had that effect. But the sublimity of 

that faith, alone, that could quench the violence of 



46 



ISAAC BEADY TO BE SACEIFICED. 



fire — raise the dead to life again — which could stand 
cruel mocking and scourgings — and being stoned — 
sawn asunder — tempted and slain, found expression 
in the answer of that loving parent, when he said to 
Isaac, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for 
a burnt offering. " 

' 4 And they came to the place, which God had told 
him of, and Abraham built an altar there, and laid 
the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and 
laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham 
stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay 
his son." Gen. 22:6-10. 

But hark! While the sacrificial knife is poised 
between heaven and the victim, a voice from the 
regions of the blessed is heard. All^ heaven stands 
in awe. The armies of the Redeemed attired with 
celestial armor fall in line to receive the angel of 
the Lord who bears a message from Jehovah to Abra- 
ham on Mount Moriah. 

"The angel of the Lord called unto him out of 
heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham; and he said, 
Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon 
the lad, neither do thou anything unto him : for now 
I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not 
withheld thy son, thine only son from me." 

The ram found in the thicket was accordingly 
offered in Isaac's stead. When, lo, the angel again 
called out of heaven the second time, to proclaim a 



jehovah's oath. 47 

decree that emanates from the Sovereign of the uni- 
verse. Let all the golden harps and immortal lyres 
be silent. Let the notes of the celestial choir cease 
their sounds, and let the symphonies of the blessed 
be hushed. Yea, let angels, cherubim, archangels, 
and gods hear the edict of Jehovah as the angel 
delivers the message: 

"By myself have I sworn saith the Lord, for 
because thou hast done this thing, and hast not with- 
held thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will 
bless thee, and in multiplying 1 will multiply thy 
seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is 
upon the sea shore, and thy seed shall possess the 
gate of his enemies. And in thy seed shall all the 
nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast 
obeyed my voice. 7 ' Gen. 22:16-18. 

Let earth rejo'ce and the inhabitants thereof, 
and let the sound of Jehovah's oath be reverberated 
throughout the endless ages of eternity. For he has 
sworn to bless all the nations of the earth in "the 
seed of Abraham." 

This declaration made by the Lord gives man 
the assurance that the purpose of God is to bless all 
nations in the "seed of Abraham." It will also be 
clearly seen that the promise is still future, when all 
nations are to receive a blessing in the "seed of 
Abraham." That "seed" was also to possess the' 'gate 
of his enemies;" and astounding as the fact is that 
God swore to perform the work of blessing all nations 



48 CHEIST THE SEED OF ABKAHAM. 

in that "seed," a period of over eighteen hundred and 

fifty years elapsed before the "seed" is manifested. 

"Xow to Abraham and his seed were the prom- 
ises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many: 
but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." 
Gal. 3:16. 

Christ then is the "seed of Abraham," by and 

through which God has sworn to bless all the nations 

and families of the earth. 

"For when God made promise to Abraham, be- 
cause he could swear by no greater, he sware by 
himself, saying, surely blessing I will bless thee and 
multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he 
had patiently endured he obtained the promise. For 
men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for 
confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein 
God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs 
of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed 
it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in 
which it was impossible for God to lie, we might 
have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge 
to lay hold upon the hope set before us." Heb. 6:13- 
18. 

It is admitted by all classes of Christians that 
according to accepted chronology a period of about 
four thousand years elapsed from the time of the giv- 
ing of the promise in the garden, that the "seed"' of 
the woman should "bruise the serpent's head," until 
Christ came, as the seed of Abraham, and is recog- 
nized as the "seed" of the woman, by and through 
whom all the families and nations of the earth are to 
be blessed, according to the oath of the Lord, 



cheist's long delay. 



49 



When, and where, we ask, are all of earth's millions 
that once inhabited it, but were removed beyond 
the grave, going to receive the blessings, promised 
them by the Creator of heaven and earth? 

We are not going to beg our premises and jump, 
recklessly, at a conclusion. 

But we will lay before the reader an argument 
that defies refutation from the combined wisdom of 
all the theologians of earth. The Lord, as stated in 
the preceding chapter, is represented as being all 
wise, "declaring the end from the beginning, ?? and 
there can not be any argument produced, that he 
was not acquainted with the fact that men by the 
millions were passing into death, and yet he makes 
promises to bless them in Christ, and delays sending 
him (Christ) for 4004 years. Since the Lord pur- 
posed to bless all nations and families of the earth in 
Christ, it is not irreverent to ask, Why did Grod wait 
so long in sending Christ ? 

Why did not the Lord send the Saviour to the 
world in Adam's day, that all mankind might know 
of the death and resurrection of Christ? If there is 
no hope of being saved beyond the grave, why did 
God promise to bless all families and deliberately 
sware that he would do so, when he knew at that 
time that millions of families were in the grasp of 
the monster death ? Here are questions to which the 

4 



50 PROBATION FROM CREATION TO JUDGMENT. 

astute theologians of modern Christendom never 
could and never will give a satisfactory answer, as 
long as they maintain the human tradition that the 
process of salvation is stayed at death. 

But let them accept the thought that from the 
creation until the judgment day is only one proba- 
tionary period, whether man tabernacles in the flesh 
or whether he is in the spirit state, his probation 
does not cease until the final day of hearing, when 
Christ will be the judge of all, then all of God's 
promises and the oath to them become light, and his 
grand purposes are brought out in bold relief, while 
the traditions of men wither under the rays of advanc- 
ing light, which makes manifest the source from 
which they originated. 

The succeeding chapter will be devoted to the 
Messianic Prophecies, showing the coming forth of 
the Messiah, and also portraying the work that he 
was to perform for the race of man. 



CHAPTER V. 



The coming of the Messiah" was the theme of all 

the prophets and seers from the foundation of the 

world down to the clays of Malachi. Moses, the 

greatest legislator the world had ever seen, spoke 

of his coming in the following words: 

"The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a 
Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like 
unto me; unto him ye shall harken; According to all 
that thou desiredst of the Lord thy Grod in Horeb in 
the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear 
again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me 
see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the 
Lord said unto me, they have well spoken that which 
they have spoken; I will raise them up a Prophet 
from their brethren, like unto thee, and will put 
my words in his mouth ; and he shall speak unto 
them all that I shall command him. And it shall 
come to pass, that whosoever will not harken unto 
my words which he shall speak in my name, I will 
require it of him. ?? Deut. 18:15-19. 

Job, in the terrible trial through which he was 

compelled to undergo, suffering the estrangement of 

friends, kindred, children and wife, being stripped 

of his glory and the crown taken from his head, yet 

could say: 

"I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he 
shall stand at the latter day upon the earth." Job 
19:25. 

51 



52 



PROPHECIES RELATIVE TO CHRIST. 



The ' ' Sweet Singer of Israel" sang: "I will 
declare the decree: The Lord hath said unto me, 
Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." 
David describes a scene at the cross in the following 
words: "They part my garments among them, and 
cast lots upon my vesture." This was fulfilled accord- 
ing to John 19:23-24." 

The apostle-prophet Isaiah speaking of him and 
.the manner of his advent says : 

"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a 
sign ; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, 
and shall call his name Immanuel." Is. 7:14. And 
again, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is 
given ; and the government shall be upon his shoul- 
der; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Coun- 
sellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The 
Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government 
and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of 
David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to es- 
tablish it with judgment and with justice from hence- 
forth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts 
will perform this." Is. 9:6, T.- 
Here is one of the strong prophecies, which is 
put forth to establish the claims of the Messiahship 
of Christ, and also that which is foretold by the same 
prophet when he said: 

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of 
sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it 
were our faces from him ; he was despised, and we 
esteemed him not. * * * He was oppressed, 
and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; 



PKOPHECY FULFILLED. 



53 



he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a 
sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened 
not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from 
judgment; And who shall declare his generation? 
for he was cut off out of the land of the living; for 
the| transgression of my people was he stricken. 
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the 
rich in his death; because he had done no violence, 
neither was any deceit in his mouth. " Is. 53. 

All these prophetic statements had most mirac- 
ulous fulfillment in the life and death of Jesus Christ. 
When the angel made known the birth of Christ to 
Mary, he said unto her: 

"Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with 
God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, 
and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 
He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the 
highest: and the Lord God shalt give unto him the 
throne of his father David: And he shall reign over 
the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there 
shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, 
how shall this thing be, seeing I know not a man ? 
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy 
Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the 
Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that 
holv thing which shall be born of thee shall be called 
the Son of God." Luke lr30-35. 

Here Luke records the fulfillment of one of 
Isaiah's prophecies previously quoted, and it is ac- 
cepted by all evangelical Churches as true, yet the 
statement made concerning the conception of Christ 
is out of harmony with all natural law, with which 
finite minds are acquainted. The infidel hurls at the 



54 NATUKAL LAW SEEMINGLY BEVEKSED. 

nominal professing Christian that of which the Jews 
accused Christ saying, "We be not born of fornica- 
tion/' Christ is regarded by both skeptic and Jew as 
the illegitimate son of Joseph, because of their mis- 
conception of the operation of laws, with which 
the finite mind has never yet been made acquainted. 

It is a strange fact that all evangelical Churches 
accept the conception of Christ as one of the essen- 
tial characteristics of his Messiahship in order to 
identify him with the prophecies that had been ut- 
tered hundreds of years before. 

Yet, there is not a ray of light, reflected by the 
Bible, nor in all the realms of nature, explanatory of 
the promulgation or execution of such a law. It is 
accepted and believed, without explanation, by the 
Christian. The infidel rejects it, but is forced to 
accept as true the result of the operation of natural 
law, which is just as inexplicable, in his own concep- 
tion, as the mystery that surrounds the conception 
and birth of Christ. Neither believer nor unbeliever 
can explain the origin of life though they be pos- 
sessed of it — nor the life of a blade of grass, nor a 
ray of light, the movement of a finger, the electric 
current, and scores of other things, with which we 
are acquainted ; yet both are forced to accept them 
as being facts, which can not be denied. And in the 
face of the argument that the Christian (professed) 



god's works achieved on time. 



55 



accepts as truths things which can not be explained, 
he rejects truths that are fully explained by the 
Word of God when it teaches that a man's proba- 
tion extends from creation until the day of judgment. 
We will now prove our statement by showing the 
work to be performed for man by the Son of God, 
as foretold by those who wrote of his coming. 

While the prophets and seers minutely outlined 
his coming, clearly pointing out even the little ham- 
let wherein he was born ( ' 'But thou Bethlehem Eph- 
ratah, though thou be little among the thousands of 
Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me 
that is to be ruler in Israel ; whose going forth have 
been from old, from everlasting." Micah. 5:2) they 
also clearly portrayed the nature of the work he was 
to perform, when it was to be performed, where it 
was to be performed, and whom it would affect. 

In order to clearly understand the grand plan of 
salvation that Jehovah has in mind and which he has 
manifestly decreed will be accomplished, we must 
keep in mind five things. 

First. God works on time, i. e., he sets a time 
in which a certain work is to be performed and when 
that time has arrived the work is done. 

Second. The instruments used in the accom- 
plishment of his designs are always those of his 
own selection. 



56 INTELLIGENT SUBMISSION TO GOD. 

Third. The method used in the execution of the 
designs of Glod is conceived by himself, and is just 
and true and complete in all its parts, and has no 
need of being added to nor of being subtracted from. 

Fourth. That man must have an intelligent com- 
prehension of and an humble submission to the will 
of the Lord, before he can be saved and exalted to 
his right hand to reign with Christ as a joint heir in 
the celestial kingdom of Grod. 

Fifth. That man can not be held responsible for 
the non-compliance with, nor be judged by, any law 
with which he has never had an opportunity of be- 
coming acquainted. 



CHAPTER VI. 



The Creator of the universe is a being, whose 
works are achieved in the time set for their accom- 
plishment. And it does not follow that all men are 
apprised of the arrival of the time in which the pur- 
poses of Grod are fulfilled. But it does follow, that 
every individual shall know for himself the arrival of 
the time, in which the Lord has a specific work for 
him to perform. 

To illustrate: 

"The disciples just previous to the ascension of 
the Lord Jesus Christ asked him: 'Lord, wilt thou 
at this time restore the kingdom to Israel V 

"And he said unto them: 'It is not for you to 
know the times and seasons, which the Father hath 
put in his own power.' Acts 1:6, 7. 

"The disciples are denied the knowledge of the 
time when the kingdom shall be restored to Israel. 
And of the coming of the Son of man or the second 
advent of Christ, it is written, ' But of that day and 
hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are 
in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.' " Mk. 
13:32. 

These illustrations will serve to show that there 
are certain events, which no man will be apprised of 
until the time has arrived for them to be disclosed. 
And we have a very significant portion of scripture 
in Paul's 1 Epistle to Timothy, which describes the 
Creator as a time-ordering and a time-observing Grod. 

57 



58 



TESTIMONY IN "DUE TIME. 7 7 



This scripture will form a basis for our future 
argument to establish the fact that God has in view 
the ultimate redemption and salvation of every 
member of the human race. Paul writes: 

"1. I exhort, therefore, that first of all, suppli- 
cations, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, 
be made for all men; 

"2. For kings, and for all that are in author- 
ity; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in 
all godliness and honesty. 

"3. For this is good and acceptable in the 
sight of God our Saviour. 

"4. Who will have all men to be saved, and 
to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

"5. For there is one God, and one mediator 
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 

u 6. Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be 
testified in due time." 1 Tim. 2:1-6. 

The Apostle here stimulates the followers of 
Christ to supplicate the throne of grace in behalf of 
all men, and the ruling authorities that govern the 
state they inhabit, whether emperor, king, queen, 
president, or any other legal authority. 

6 'That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. 7 ' 
Of this part of the second verse Dr. Adam Clarke 
says: 

"We thus pray for the government, that the 
public peace may be preserved. Good rulers have 
much power to do much good: We pray that their 
authority may be ever preserved; and well directed. 
Bad rulers have power to do much evil; we pray 
that they may be prevented from thus using their 



COMMENTS BY DE. CLARKE. 



59 



power. So that whether the rulers be good or bad, 
prayer for them is the positive duty of all Christians ; 
and the answer to their prayers, in either case, will 
be the means of their being enabled to lead a quiet 
and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. " 
He continues: 

"Third verse. 'This is good and acceptable/ 
Prayer for all legally constituted authorities is good 
in itself, because useful to ourselves and to the pub- 
lic at large; and it is acceptable in the sight of G-od, 
our Saviour; and this is its highest sanction, and its 
highest character; it is good; it is well pleasing to 
God. 

"Fourth verse. 'Who will have all men to be 
saved. ? Because he wills the salvation of all men; 
therefore he wills that all men should be prayed for. 
In the face of such a declaration, how can any Chris- 
tian soul suppose that God ever unconditionally and 
eternally reprobated any man! Those who can be- 
lieve so, one would suppose, can have little acquaint- 
ance either with the nature of Grod, or the bowels of 
Christ. 

"('And come unto the knowledge of the truth. ? ) 
The truth, the gospel of Christ, should be pro- 
claimed to them: and it is the duty of all who know 
it, to diffuse it far and wide: and when it is made 
known, then it is the duty of those who hear it, to 
acknowledge and receive it: this is the proper import 
of the original word, that they may come, sis emy^™ 
akr t 0ecas, to the acknowledgment of the truth; that 
they may receive it as the truth, and make it the 
rule of their faith ; the model and director of their 
life and actions. 

"Fifth verse. 'There is one Grod. ? Who is the 
maker, governor, and preserver of all men, of every 
condition, and of every nation: and equally wills the 
salvation of all. 



60 



COMMENTS BY DE. CLARKE. 



" 6 And one Mediator.' The word pann??, mediator, 
signifies literally, a middle person, one whose office 
it is to reconcile two parties at enmity; and hence 
Suidas explains it by ^^>"-^^, a peace-maker. God 
was offended with the crimes of men: to restore 
them to his peace, Jesus Christ was incarnated; and 
being God and man, both God and men met in, and 
were reconciled by, him. But this reconciliation 
required a sacrifice on the part of the Peace-maker, 
or Mediator; hence what follows: 

"Sixth verse. 4 Who gave himself a ransom. 7 The 
word Xozpov signifies a ransom paid for the redemption 
of a captive ; and avriXorpov, the word used here, and 
applied to the death of Christ, signifies that ransom 
which consists in the exchange of one person for 
another, or the redemption of life by life; or as 
Schlesesner has expressed it in his translation of 
these words: Qui, morte sm omnes liberavit a vitios- 
itatis vi et pee nis: a servitute quasi et miserk pecca- 
torum: 'He, who by his death has redeemed all 
from the power and punishment of vice, from the 
slavery and misery of sinners. 7 As God is the God 
and Father of all; for, there is but one God, verse 5, 
and Jesus Christ the Mediator of all; so he gave 
himself a ranson for all: i. e., for all that God made: 
consequently for every human soul: unless we could 
suppose that there are human souls of which God is 
not the creator; for, the argument of the Apostle is 
plainly this: First. There is one God. Second. This 
God is the creator of all. Third. He has made a reve- 
lation of his kindness to all. Fourth. He will have 
all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge 
of the truth. Fifth. He has provided a Mediator 
for all, who has given himself a ransom for all. 
As surely as God has created all men, so surely has 
Jesus Christ died for all men. This is a truth which 
the nature and revelation of God unequivocally pro- 
claim. 



COMMENTS BY DB. CLARKE. 



61 



" 'To be testified in due time.' The original 
words to i±aprupiov kaipot? idiot? are not very clear, and 
have been understood variously. The most authentic 
copies of the printed Vulgate have simply, Testimo- 
nium temporivus suis; which Calmet translates, ren- 
dant ainsi temoignage au terns marqifi; 'Thus ren- 
dering testimony at the appointed time.' Dr. 
Macknight thus, *Of which the testimony is in its 
proper season.' Wakefield thus, 'That testimony 
reserved to its proper time.' Eosenmuller: Haec 
est doctrina, temporibas suis reservata, 'this is the 
doctrine, which is reserved for its own times!' that 
is, adds he, quce suo tempore in omni terrarum orbe 
tradetiir: 'the doctrine which in its own time shall 
be delivered to all the inhabitants of the earth.' 
Here he translates fiaprupiov^ doctrine, and contends 
that this, not testimony, is its meaning; not only in 
this passage but in 1 Cor. 1:6; 2:1, etc. Instead of 
ftapruptov, testimony, one Ms. Cod. Kk. 6:4 in the 
public library, Cambridge, has fiapruptov, mystery, but 
this is not acknowledged by any other Ms. nor by 
any version. In D'FG- the whole clause is read thus, 
ovro fiapruptov Eatpois tdcoi$ edod-q. The testimony of which 
was given in its own times. This is nearly the read- 
ing which was adopted in the first printed copies of 
the Vulgate. One of them now before me reads the 
passage thus, Cujus testimonium temporibas suis con- 
firmatum est. The testimony of which is confirmed 
in its own times. This reading was adopted by Pope 
Sextus V in the famous edition published by him ; 
but was corrected to the reading above, by Pope 
Cement VIII. And this was rendered literally by 
our first translator, 'Whos witnessinge confirmyd in 
his times.' This appears to be the Apostle's mean- 
ing: Christ gave himself a ransom for all. This, in 
the times which seemed best to the divine wisdom, 
was to be testified to every nation, and people, and 



62 KNOWLEDGE CONFOUNDED WITH FAITH. 

tongue. The Apostles had begun this testimony; 
and, in the course of the divine economy, it has 
ever since been gradually promulgated; and at pres- 
ent runs with a more rapid course than ever." 

The object of making such a lengthy quotation 
from Dr. Clarke's Commentary is: First. The exten- 
sive reputation of this author is so well known, that 
he is authority for many of the professing Christian 
Churches. 

Second. That the thought expressed in the 
fourth, fifth and sixth verses of this chapter of Paul's 
first epistle to Timothy is this: That Grod will have 
all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge 
of the truth. The word, knowledge, must be clearly 
held in view. For it must not be confounded with 
faith or belief. However illogical this statement may 
appear on the surface, it is an absolute fact that, 
even theologians confound faith with knowledge. 
We will be compelled at this point, to digress for a 
short time, in order to examine the terms, faith and 
knowledge, for faith is not knowledge. Very many 
well-meaning persons are led to say u we know" 
such and such is true, because the evidence is 
adduced from the Bible, when the facts are that they 
do not know, but affirm such and such to be the 
truth, and confound faith or belief with knowledge, 
when the statements are evidenced by the Bible. 
"Webster defines "faith" as follows: 



FAITH DEFINED. 



63 



1st. "Belief; the assent of the mind to the 
truth of what is declared by another, resting solely 
and implicitly on his authority and veracity; reliance 
on testimony. 

2d. "The assent of the mind to the statement 
or proposition of another, on the ground of the 
manifest truth of what he utters ; a firm and earnest 
belief, on probable evidence of any kind, especially 
in regard to important moral truth. 

3d. "(Theol.) (a) The belief in the historic 
truthfulness of the Scripture narrative, and the 
supernatural origin of its teachings, sometimes called 
historical and speculative faith, (b) The belief in 
the facts and truth of the Scriptures, with a practical 
love of them; especially, that confiding and affec- 
tionate belief in the person and work of Christ which 
affects the character and life, and makes a man a 
true Christian, called a practical, evangelical, or 
saving faith. 

4th. "That which is believed on any subject, 
whether in science, politics, or religion; especially 
(Theol.) a system of religious belief of any kind; as, 
the Jewish or Mohammedan faith; and especially, 
the system of truth taught by Christ ; as, the Christian 
faith, also the creed or belief of a Christian society or 
Church. » 

Faith, then, is only our mental assent to a state- 
ment to which others bear testimony. If the testi- 
mony be true, our faith as far as that testimony is 
concerned is true. But, if the testimony be false, 
our faith is a false faith, notwithstanding the fact 
we may believe the testimony to be true, and have 
unlimited confidence in the witness. 

Not so with knowledge. Webster defines it: 



64 



KNOWLEDGE DEFINED. 



1st. "The act of knowing; clear and certain 
perception of truth and duty; certain apprehension. 

2d. 6 'That which is known ; the object of an act 
of knowing; a cognition. 

3d. "That which is gained and preserved by 
knowing; actual acquaintance gained by learning; 
instruction; acquaintance; enlightenment; learning; 
scholarship. 

4th. "That familiarity which is gained by 
actual experience; practical skill. 

5th. "Information; cognizance; notice; as, it 
has not come to my knowledge." 

So the text that we have under consideration 

embraces all men, and God will have them come 

unto the knowledge of the truth, and that declaration 

is vouched for by the fact that "there is one Glod, 

and one Mediator between Glod and men, the man 

Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all to 

be TESTIFIED IN DUE TIME." 

Here the Apostle throws the door of Grod's infin- 
ite justice, mercy and wisdom wide open, and if we 
will look into the complete plan that the Glod of 
heaven has ordained, whereby every man will have 
an opportunity to learn the truth and to come to a 
knowledge of the same for himself, we may look and 
see that "Glod's ways are not our ways, nor our 
thoughts his thoughts." 



CHAPTER VII. 



Since the Lord has purposed that Jesus Christ 
will be testified in "due time" to all men, where, 
and under what conditions, will those who lived and 
died before Christ came receive this testimony? 

No man will have the presumption to maintain 
that all the nations, that have existed and became 
extinct before Christ was born, have received this 
testimony. And since God has declared Jais purpose 
to have Christ testified to all men in due time, the 
question will at once suggest itself: Did their u dqe 
time" come in this life? No man can answer that 
in the affirmative, for Christ was not manifested to 
the world until hundreds of millions had passed into 
death as a result of bringing the flood upon the earth, 
and that an equal amount, if not more, have passed 
away from the days of the flood down to the birth 
of Christ, without a knowledge of Christ and with- 
out having Christ testified to them. We have every 
reason to believe that the number of people who lived 
from Noah's day down to* Christ's birth was five 
times as great as that which lived from the creation 
to the flood. For the earth began to be peopled 
from one man and woman only, and the length of 
5 65 



66 PEE SENT EELIGIOUS CONDITION OF THE WOULD. 

time they were multiplying was one thousand, six 
hundred and fifty-six years, when they were all 
swept away by the flood — except Noah and his wife, 
his three sons and their wives, making four pairs to 
begin the repeopling of the earth, as the Word de- 
clares : 

"And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said 
unto them: Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish 
the earth." Gen. 9:1. 

This multiplying continued for a period of 2,349 
years. So we are safe in concluding that five times 
as many people existed and passed away from the 
flood to the birth of Christ as existed from the crea- 
tion to the flood. And it will be remembered that 
a period of 477 years had passed away after the flood, 
when God "swore 77 he would "bless 77 all the nations 
of the earth in the seed of Abraham (Gen. 22:16-18), 
and it must also be held in mind that that "seed 77 
(Christ) did not come to bless, in the sense of re- 
deeming mankind, for a period of 1,872 years after 
the recording of that oath. 

And now let us look at the condition of the 
world since the days of Christ. And what do we 
find? We find that after eighteen centuries of preach- 
ing out of a population of 1,400,000,000 of souls there 
are about 900,000,000 of them in total heathen dark- 
ness, and the balance, about 500,000,000, divided up 
as follows: 170,000,000 Mohammedans, 200,000,- 



GOD MISREPRESENTED. 



67 



000 Roman Catholics, 116,000,000 Protestants, 84,- 
000,000 Greek Catholics, and 8,000,000 Jews. We 
are absolutely safe in saying that 170,000,000 of 
Mohammedans do not believe in Christ, and, as for 
the 8,000,000 of Jews, they never have received him, 
so that will cut down our 500,000,000, to 322,000,000 
of people, who look upon Christ as the Savior. 

To the reflective mind this must truly be one of 
the saddest pictures ever presented to his mental 
vision. To think that for almost sixty centuries this 
awful work of death has been carried on in the world, 
and that our Churches teach that all of these billions 
of humanity, ignorant of the only name under heaven 
by which salvation can come to them, are on the 
straight road to eternal torment, is a thought that 
is capable of driving every honest man or woman, 
who has given this subject serious attention, in 
the light which our orthodox ministers hold it up, 
either away from God, or to holdup his or her hands 
in horror at this libelous representations of the char- 
acter of man's Creator. 

God was cognizant of the fact that death was 
passing on man even from the fatal hour that Adam 
partook of the forbidden fruit. 

He also knew who the author of it was, viz., the 
devil. And can any rational being, who attributes 
almighty powers to God, suppose for one moment 



68 



QUESTIONS FOR THEOLOGIANS. 



that he could not have there and then put a stop to 
this awful work of destruction? 

Can any man, who is not insane, be made to 
believe that the designs of God have been thus frus- 
trated by this iniquitous being, who is so vastly 
inferior to the Creator in wisdom, power, knowledge, 
etc., as the devil appears to be from the record given 
of him in the Bible? We ask again, can man be 
made to believe that God could not devise a means, 
whereby, from the very beginning, man might be 
liberated from the power of the devil! We are 
answered that he could, and promised that the "seed 
of the woman" should bruise the serpent's head. 
We are not satisfied with that answer, because 
"the seed of the woman" did not come for 4000 years, 
and we want to know what will become of all these 
millions, who died before Christ came? Are they 
all going to be lost, damned? Well that will hardly 
do; still they must be damned, because they never 
accepted Christ, and are now dead and we are taught 
that men must be converted in this life, or they 
will be damned, if Protestant theology be true. But 
we will show that Jeremiah by the Spirit of God 
foretold a condition of things that is being fulfilled 
at a lightning pace, as expressed in the following 
scripture : 

"Oh Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and 
my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall 



CONFLICT BETWEEN THEOLOGY AND GOD. 69 

come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall 
say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and 
things wherein there is no profit" Jer. 16:19. 

The Christian Gentile world has been more se- 
verely imposed upon, considering their enlightened 
condition, than any other class of people on God's 
footstool. And even now thousands upon thousands 
are forsaking the so-called Christian system for its 
want of consistency with human justice, to say noth- 
ing of the infinite justice of God. 

Not only are all the heathen who are not fortu- 
nate enough to be converted to one of the conflicting 
creeds of Christendom consigned to endless torment, 
but all who lived before the flood, with the exception 
of a very few; also the innumerable hosts who have 
lived since Noah's day, excepting the patriarchs and 
prophets down to the days of Christ. 

These billions according to the present system 
of theology are to be eternally lost, but God, its 
Eternal, has decreed that " Christ shall be testified in 
'due time' to all." 

Here is a manifest conflict between theology 
and the Being it is supposed to represent. The dif- 
ference, however, is this: Theology limits man's 
probationary state to this life only, while God limits 
it to the final day — the judgment. 

One of the reasons that can be ascribed for this 
conflict is that theology does not discriminate be- 
tween the terms redemption and salvation. 



70 SALVATION AND REDEMPTION . 

While there is a close alliance between these 
terms, yet we must recognize the fact that some of 
the redeemed will be damned, as it is fully set forth 
by Christ when he said: 

"Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in 
the which all that are in the graves shall hear his 
voice, and shall come forth: they that have done 
good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that 
have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. ?? 
Jno. 5: 28, 29. 

The term redemption is defined by Webster as 

follows: 

"The act of redeeming, or the state of being 
redeemed '.repurchase: ransom: release: rescue: deliv- 
erance. (Theol.) The procuring of God's favor by 
the suffering and death of Christ; the ransom or 
deliverance of sinners from the bondage of sin and 
the penalties of God's violated law." 

Hence redemption is the state of being redeemed 
or possession obtained by the payment of a stipu- 
lated price; the state of being repurchased; the 
state of being rescued from the * 'bondage of sin and 
the penalties of God r s violated law. 7; The penalty 
for the violation of God's law from which it was 
necessary for us to be redeemed was, death. And 
the purchase price was the blood of Jesus Christ. 
So Paul could say, "In whom we have redemption 
through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according 
to the richness of his grace. " Eph. 1: 7. And in 
admonishing the Ephesian elders he uses this lan- 
guage: 



SALVATION AND REDEMPTION. 



71 



"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all 
the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made 
you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he 
hath purchased with Jus own Mood." Acts 20: 28. 

"In whom [Christ] we have redemption through 

his blood, even the forgiveness of sin." Col. 1: 14. 

In these texts it will be noticed that we have 

redemption, or we are redeemed through the blood 

of Christ, repurchased from death, for the death and 

resurrection of Jesus Christ secured a resurrection to 

every man. 

"For since by man came death, by man came 
also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam 
all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 
1 Cor. 15: 21, 22. 

But it must be borne in mind that Jesus saidthat 
some would come forth in the resurrection of dam- 
nation. Why should some come forth in the res- 
urrection of damnation? Evidently because they 
are not saved— notwithstanding the fact that they 
have been redeemed, "repurchased," "the possession 
of life by the payment of the stipulated price," the 
blood of Jesus Christ. 

"For we see Jesus, who was made a little lower 
than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned 
with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God 
should taste death for every man." Heb. 2. 

So Paul's declaration of faith in the resurrec- 
tion is as follows: 



72 ALL TO BE BESUBEECTED. 

"But this I confess unto thee, that after the way 
which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my 
fathers, believing all things which are written in the 
law and in the prophets: And have hope toward 
God. which they themselves also allow, that there 
shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just 
and unjust." Acts 24: 14, 15. 

The prophet Hosea had a clear view of the work 
which God would accomplish for Israel when he said: 
''1 will ransom them from thepower of the grave; I 
will redeem them from death: 0 death, I will be thy 
plagues; 0 grave, I will be thy destruction: repent- 
ance shall be hid from mine eyes." Hosea 13: 14. 

All these scriptures show the unlimited and un- 
qualified surrender of death's grasp qn the race of man- 
kind. Every man and woman and child shall come 
forth. But why do some come forth in the resur- 
rection of condemnation? Evidently because they 
never obtained salvation, But, says the objector, I 
thought that when a man was redeemed he was 
saved. It does not necessarily follow that he is 
saved because he is redeemed. For if that were the 
fact then were all men saved, and there could not 
possibly be any who would come forth in the resur- 
rection of damnation. Then if the blood of Jesus 
Christ does not secure full and complete salvation, 
pray tell us what does ? 

For we are taught that "the blood of Jesus 
Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 
1:7. We are willing to say Amen to this last state- 



HOW THE BLOOD OF CHEIST CLEANSES. 73 

ment if the whole verse be quoted. But if only the 
latter half of this verse be used, whereon to build 
the theory that our sins are cleansed by the blood of 
Jesus Christ without effort on our part, we repudiate 
that theory. For the cleansing of our sins by the 
blood of Jesus Christ is made on condition that we 
walk in the light. Here is the complete verse: 

"But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, 
we have fellowship one with another, and the blood 
of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." 

It must appear very plain to the unprejudiced 
mind that if we do not walk in the light, as Christ is 
in the light, the promise does not avail for us. For 
the condition on which the promise is made, that all 
our sins are cleansed by the blood of Christ, is that 
we walk in the light. The light, therefore, that 
we must walk in, whereby the blood of Jesus Christ 
becomes effectual to cleanse us from all sins, is the 
gospel of Christ. For Paul says: "I am not 
ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power 
of God unto salvation." Rom. 1:16. It will be 
distinctly seen from the above statement of the 
Apostle that the means whereby men obtain salva- 
tion is by the gospel. Therefore, the Apostle could 
say to the Corinthian Church ("with all that in every 
place call upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, 
both theirs and ours." See 1 chap., 2 verse). 



74 



THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST "SAVES." 



"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the 
gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye 
have received, and wherein ye stand: by which (the 
gospel ) also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what 
I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in 
vain. 7 ' 1 Cor. 15:1, 2. 

Evidently those to whom Jesus had reference, 
who are to come forth in the resurrection of damna- 
tion, are those who have never believed and obeyed 
the gospel; so that when the Lord sent his ministers 
into all the world to preach the gospel to every creat- 
ure, he added: "He that believeth (the gospel) and 
is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not 
(the gospel) shall be damned. * ? Mark 16:16. 

Of this verse, Dr. Adam Clarke says: 

"He that believeth, he that credits this gospel 
as a revelation from God and is baptized, takes upon 
him the profession of it, obliging himself to walk 
according to its precepts, he shall be saved, re- 
deemed from sin here, and brought at last to the 
enjoyment of my eternal glory. But he that believ- 
eth not shall be damned, because he rejects the only 
provision that could be effectual to his soul's salva- 
tion.'* 

We have quoted scripture enough to convince 
the most skeptical that the death, which included 
the shedding of blood and the resurrection of Jesus 
Christ, secured to man a resurrection to life again — 
redeemed— but that he can not be saved but by 
obedience to the gospel of Christ, which is the power 
of God unto salvation. 



THE GOSPEL OF CHEIST " SAVES. " 



It absolutely follows, then, that man's salvation 
is dependent on his believing and obeying the gospel 
of Jesus Christ, while his redemption from death 
does not depend on the fact that he believes, but is 
solely the result of the triumph of Jesus Christ over 
death, leading captivity captive. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Since salvation is obtained by a reception of the 
gospel of Jesus Christ; as can be clearly seen from 
the preceding chapter, and more fully from a careful 
study of the Bible itself, it will absolutely follow 
that a man must have an opportunity of hearing and 
obeying the gospel before God can hold him ac- 
countable before the judgment bar of Christ for 
neglecting to comply with its demands. 

The cogent reasoning of the great Apostle must 

appeal most forcibly to every man sufficiently freed 

from sectarian prejudice as to enable him to pass a 

just judgment on this question. He says: 

"How, then, shall they call on him in whom 
they have not believed? And how shall they believe 
in him of whom they have not heard? And how 
shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall 
they preach except they be sent?" Eom. 10:14, 15. 

Surely this is logic of the most convincing char- 
acter. And it must cause the blush of shame to 
rise to the cheek of the man who has the presumpt- 
uous impudence to consign to everlasting ruin the 
thousands of millions of earth's inhabitants who have 
never heard and never had an opportunity of hear- 
ing the gospel of the "Man of Sorrows." His love 

76 



THE LOVE AND UNCHANGE ABILITY OF GOD. 77 

and solicitude for man, whom he came to seek and 
to save, led him to exclaim in behalf of his mur- 
derers, those who were directly engaged in the awful 
tragedy of the cross, "Father forgive them, for they 
know not what they do." Luke 23:34. 

This is the Christ whom Paul declared should be 
testified in "due time" to all men. 1 Tim. 2:6. 
And because these teeming millions have passed from 
this life are they going to be denied the privilege of 
having an opportunity of complying with the gospel, 
that thereby they, too, might obtain salvation? 
Would God commit to everlasting punishment these 
many millions who never had an opportunity of 
obtaining salvation, when he declares that justice and 
judgment are the habitation of his throne ? Ps. 89 : 14. 
That with him "there is no respect of persons/ 7 
Acts 10:34. "That he is the same yesterday, to-day, 
and forever." Heb. 13:8. "For I am the Lord, I 
change not. 77 Mai. 3:6. "With whom is no vari- 
ableness, neither shadow of turning. 77 Jas. 1:17. 
That "So loved the world that he gave his only 
begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should 
not perish, but have everlasting life.' 7 John 3:16. 

And the Son speaking of his mission to earth 
says: "For the Son of man is come to seek and to 
save that which was lost. 77 Luke 19:10. 

Surely if any one on earth knew of the innu- 
merable host that had already gone into death Jesus 



78 THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THE DEPARTED. 

knew it. Were they among the lost? Most assuredly 
they were, and his mission to them was as clearly 
foretold by the prophets as any other part of his 
redemptive work. The objector at this point may 
interpose a question, and ask whether Christ's mis- 
sion extended to the dead as well as to the living. 
We answer yes, in the most emphatic manner, and we 
reiterate our challenge found on pages 9, 10, 11 of "Pro- 
bation After Death" to the whole theological world 
to disprove that the mission of Jesus Christ was not 
to those who had passed into death as well as to 
those who were on earth in his day, and for all ages 
to come. We will prove that the gospel of Christ, 
which is the power of God unto salvation, was 
preached to the dead, to those who had departed this 
life and had been in the spirit state for over two 
thousand, three hundred years. 

Now, as we are entering very highly controversial 
grounds it will be prudent to do as the wise man did, 
i. e., dig deep and lay the foundation upon a rock, 
so that when the rains of prejudice descend, and the 
floods of sectarianism come, and the theological 
winds blow upon it, it will stand, and it will not fall, 
because it is founded on the rock, to wit, the Word 
of the Eternal, which says : "Heaven and earth shall 
pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Luke 
21:33. 



PROBATION AFTER DEATH IS NOT POPULAR. 79 

The redemptive work of the Savior is so clearly 
outlined in the prophets that it forms the basis of 
evidence for the claims of Jesus Christ, as attested 
by the New Testament. But very little is ever said 
about the mission of Jesus Christ to those who had 
departed from this life at the time of his ministry on 
earth, by the preachers of to-day, for the reason that 
all orthodox Churches protest against the possibility 
of a continuation of probation beyond the grave. 

Sufficient evidence can be produced from respect- 
able witnesses found in the Scriptures to expose the 
abyss of error into which the Churches have fallen, 
and that they can — if they will — extricate themselves 
from the mire of tradition, into which they are 
plunged by blind guides that have preceded them. 
It would be presumptuous on our part to expect the 
reader to reach a final judgment on continued pro- 
bation from a brief resume of scriptural texts, and 
allow the context with its abundance of proof to 
remain unutilized. Surely this omission would 
make it appear to many opposers of this doctrine that 
the argument in its support could only traverse a 
limited scope, and while it will necessitate the read- 
ing of considerable Scripture to fully receive the 
light contained in the text and reflected in the con- 
text, yet we cheerfully apply ourselves to the task of 
giving the reader all the light the context reflects on 
the scriptural texts supporting our position. 



80 god's judgment on the wicked. 



Isaiah is our first witness. He says in chapter 24: 

"1. Behold, the Lord niaketh the earth empty, 
and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, 
and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. 

"2. And it shall be as with the people, so with 
the priest; as with the servant, so with the master; 
as with the maid, so with the mistress; as with the 
buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with 
the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the 
giver of usury to him. 

"3. The land shall be utterly emptied, and 
utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word. 

"4. The earth mourn eth and fadeth away, the 
world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty 
people of the earth do languish. 

."5. The earth also is defiled under the inhabit- 
ants thereof; because they have transgressed the 
laws, changed the ordinances, and broken the ever- 
lasting covenant. 

"6. Therefore hath the curse devoured the 
earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: there- 
fore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned and few 
men left. 

"7. The new wine mourneth, the vine languish- 
eth, all the merry hearted do sigh. 

"8. The mirth of tab rets ceaseth, the noise of 
them that rejoice endeth,the joy of the harp ceaseth. 

"9. They shall not drink wine with a song; 
strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. 

"10. The city of confusion is broken down: 
every house is shut up, that no man may come in. 

"11. There is a crying for wine in the streets; 
all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. 

"12. In the city is left desolation, and the gate 
is smitten with destruction. 

"13. When thus it shall be in the midst of the 
land among the people, there shall be as the shaking 



GOD ? S judgment on the wicked. 



81 



of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the 
vintage is done. 

u 14. They shall lift up their voice, they shall 
sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry alond 
from the sea. 

"15. Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires, 
[or valleys — see margin], even the name of the Lord 
God of Israel in the isles of the sea. 

' '16. From the uttermost part of the earth have 
we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I 
said, my leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the 
treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously, yea, the 
treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. 

"17. Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon 
thee, 0 inhabitant of the earth. 

u 18. And it shall come to pass that he who fleeth 
from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and 
he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall 
be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high 
are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. 

u 19. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth 
is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. 

' '20. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunk- 
ard, and shall be removed like a cottage; the trans- 
gression thereof shall be heavy upon it; it shall fall, 
and not rise again. 

"21 . And it shall come to pass in that day, that 
the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that 
are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the 
earth. 

"22. And they shall be gathered together, as 
prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut 
up in the prison, and after many days shall they be 
visited." 

The last verse is not quoted because it has direct 
reference to the time when Christ shall reign on 

6 



82 PRISONERS GATHERED IN THE "PIT OR PRISON. 7 7 

earth, as can be seen by comparing it with Joel 2:31, 
32, Matt. 24:29, 30, and many other scriptures. 

But the point established is this: The enormity 
of the sin of the earth, its terrible wickedness, the 
multiplicity of its abominations have almost engulfed 
all of its inhabitants, as the prophet has graphically 
illustrated. 

" Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, 
and they that dwell therein are desolate, therefore 
the inhabitants of the earth are burned and few men 
left." See verse 6. 

But the Lord is not going to look complacently 
on this terrible wickedness, and suffer the offenders 
to go unpunished. The violators of God's laws are 
not going to escape the penalty decreed to follow 
such violation. And for that reason the Lord has 
declared that they shall be gathered in the "pit, 77 
and shut them up in a "prison," but at the same 
time that he pronounces this punishment he adds: 
" After many days they shall be visited." See 22 verse. 

The term "many days 77 is a very indefinite 
period of duration. The time is not stated when this 
visit is to be made, nor who is to be the visitor to 
those who are thus shut up in "prison 7 7 and gath- 
ered in the "pit, 77 but by careful investigation we 
arrive at a knowledge, "in due time 77 as to who the 
visitor is, and where the pit or prison is located, 
which contains these prisoners. For the Lord has 



THE WORK OF CHRIST PORTRAYED. 



83 



decreed, that they shall be visited, and he has also 
clearly pointed out the visitor, and the work to be 
performed in behalf of those thus shut up, and gath- 
ered in this prison. 

We will now turn our attention to another por- 
tion of the same prophet, and see whether he is not 
able to give us a little more light on this important 
subject, and in order to give the reader a just and 
unbiased view of the argument we will again quote 
the context. We refer to the XLII chapter of 
Isaiah. 

"1. Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine 
elect, in whom my soul delighteth* ; I have put my 
spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the 
Gentiles. 

"2. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his 
voice to be heard in the street. 

"3. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the 
smoking flax shall he not quench; he shall bring 
forth judgment unto truth. 

u 4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he 
have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall 
wait for his law. 

"5. Thus saith God the Lord, he that created 
the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread 
forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he 
that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit 
to them that walk therein, 

"6. I, the Lord, have called thee in righteous- 
ness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, 
and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a 
light of the Gentiles. 



* Matt. 3:17; 17:5. 



84 CHRIST TO BRING OUT PRISONERS FROM THE PIT. 

"7. To open the blind eyes, to bring out the pris- 
oners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out 
of the prison house. 1 ' 

We are getting more light as we progress in our 
investigation. The prophet states (verses 5 and 6) 
that the Lord who created the heavens and spread 
the earth called a certain person in righteousness, 
and said that he would hold his hand and keep him, 
that he would give him for a covenant of the people 
and a light of the Gentiles. Such an one was a serv- 
ant of that Lord — one in whom he was well pleased. 
Can we identify him? Dr. Adam Clarke says: 

"All, both Jews and Christians, agree that the 
first 7 verses of this chapter [Isa. 42] belong to 
Christ. " 

Since all agree that Christ is the one referred to, 
he was to perform the work of opening blind eyes 
and to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and 
them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. 
We are now given to understand who the visitor is, 
and that his work will consist in opening the blind 
eyes of the people and in a liberation of the prisoners 
from the prison house. All this work will be done 
under the supervision of Jehovah, who has declared 
this work shall be accomplished. 

The prophet again throws light on this impor- 
tant question by directly naming the rescuer whom 
God has sent to save mankind. 



REDEEMER OF ISRAEL SENDS THE PRISONERS FORTH. 85 

"7. Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, 
and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to 
him whom the nations abhorreth, to a servant of 
rulers, kings shall see and arise, princes also shall 
worship, because of the Lord that is f aithf ul r and the 
Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. 

"8. Thus saith the Lord, in an acceptable time 
have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I 
helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee 
for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, 
to cause to inherit the desolate heritages ; that thou 
mayest say to the prisoners, go forth: to them that 
are in darkness, shew yourselves. They shall feed 
in the ways and their pastures shall be in all high 
places." Isa. 49:7-9. 

Here the Redeemer of Israel is intrusted with 
the work of sending the prisoners forth, and to cause 
those that are in darkness to show themselves. This 
work is outlined by the Lord through the prophet 
seven hundred years before he came, who was to per- 
form it. And accordingly as the time approaches 
for the Messiah to be manifested the prophecies rela- 
tive to this important department of the work, he 
was sent to perform, are more and more clearly 
revealed. And thus the same prophet again outlines 
to man the redeeming work of Messiah in the follow- 
ing words (chapter 61) : 

"1. The Spirit of the Lord Grod is upon me; 
because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good 
tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up 
the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the cap- 
tives, and the opening of the prison to them that are 
bound. 



86 JESUS APPLIES PROPHECY TO HIMSELF. 

"2. To proclaim the acceptable year of the 
Lord, and the day of the vengeance of our God; to 
comfort all that mourn." 

It will be easily seen from the words of the 

Savior as recorded by Luke 4:16-19, that Jesus 

applies this prophecy directly to himself when he 

says: 

"And he came to Nazareth, where he had 
been brought up, and as his custom was, he went 
into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up 
for to read. 

"And there was delivered unto him the book of 
the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the 
book he found the place where it was written, 

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he 
hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; 
he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach 
deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight 
to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 
to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 

"And he closed the book, and he gave it again 
to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all 
them that were in the synagogue were fastened on 
him. 

"And he began to say unto them, This day is 
this scripture fulfilled in your ears." 

There is no reason to doubt the astonishment of 

this priest-ridden and traditionized people. Their 

prophets had plainly foretold them of the coming of 

the Messiah to perform the work of saving the entire 

human race. Not only that he would deliver the 

living, but would actually liberate from the prison 



MAN DOES NOT CHANGE WITH THE LAPSE OF TIME. 87 

house those who had departed from this life and were 
held in the bondage of the devil in the world of 
spirits, and when Jesus made the announcement that 
he was present, and had been sent by the Lord and 
the Spirit of God was upon him by which he would 
be upheld in performing this work, the eyes of all 
them in the synagogue were riveted on this seeming 
impostor. 

But human nature has not changed with the 
lapse of centuries. Man is the same, and stands as 
ready to reject to-day any doctrine taught that does 
not harmonize with his dogmatic traditions, as the 
people in the days of Christ were ready to reject his 
words, that they might maintain the human tradi- 
tions taught by their Doctors of Divinity. Their un- 
belief did not prevent the fulfillment of the prophecy 
in the least. He liad come to do the will of him that 
sent him. Here was the "seed of the woman' ' (Gen. 
2:15) at last. After waiting for a period of four 
thousand years the promise was fulfilled. The oath 
that God sware to Abraham was confirmed by the 
presence of Jesus Christ, who is the seed of Abra- 
ham, which seed was to bless all families and nations 
of earth. Was his work to be confined to those who 
lived in his day and to generations to come! Surely 
not, for at the annunciation of his birth the angel of 
the Lord said, "behold, I bring you good tidings of 



88 PRISONERS SENT OUT BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. 

great joy which shall be to all people. " Here is a 
wonderful promise, in view of the fact that millions 
had passed away, if modern theology be correct, and 
probation ends with death. 6 'Which shall be to all 
people' 7 was still future from the birth of Christ. 
How then would those countless thousands be res- 
cued, who had gone into death when he came, who 
was to bless all men? 

Zechariah informs us how this work is going to 
be performed. Let us examine what this prophet says. 

"Kejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion; shout, 0 
daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh 
unto thee: He is just and having salvation; lowly 
and riding upon an ass and upon a colt the foal of 
an ass. And I will cut off the chariot from Eph- 
raim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle 
bow shall be cut off; and he shall speak peace unto 
the heathen; and his dominion shall be from sea 
even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of 
the earth. As for thee, also, by the blood of thy 
covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the 
pit wherein is no water. Turn you to the strong- 
hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to-day do I declare 
that I will render double unto you." Zech. 9:9-12. 

This prophet, in the most forcible and elucida- 
tive language, presents to our view the way and 
manner in which those prisoners are to be rescued. 
"By the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy 
prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water." 

The language used in the ninth verse applies 
directly to Christ, and was fulfilled when he rode 
into Jerusalem: (See Luke 19:30-38.) 



CHRIST THE KING. 89 

"And the people spread their garments in the 
way and others cut down branches from the trees 
and strawed them in the way, and the multitude that 
went before and that followed, cried, saying, Hosan- 
na to the Son of David: blessed is he that cometh in 
the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. And 
when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was 
moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude 
said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Gali- 
lee." Matt. 21:7-11. 

The Lord declares that by the blood of the cove- 
nant (of Jesus Christ) he would send forth those 
prisoners out of the pit. 

This, then, would be the result of the atoning 
blood of the covenant, or the repurchasing or 
redeeming of man to life again — the redemption of 
mankind. (See chapter 7, on Redemption and Sal- 
vation.) 

Since the redemption of those who were already 
dead, and those who were then living, as well as the 
unborn generations, depended on the blood of the 
covenant, the salvation of those who had passed into 
death would be effected by the same means as that 
of the then living, and the future generations would 
be saved by the means that were to be established 
by him who came to save. Since we have learned 
that salvation is obtained by the gospel of Jesus 
Christ, it would absolutely follow that, if the dead 
are to be saved, they, too, must hear and receive the 
gospel. Therefore we are taught by the inspired 



90 THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THE DEAD. 

Apostle of Jesus Christ that he (Christ) went and 

preached the gospel to those who had departed 

from this life. St. Peter, in his first epistle, makes 

use of the following significant language: 

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the 
just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, 
being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the 
Spirit. By which also he went and preached unto 
the spirits in prison; which sometime were disobe- 
dient, when once the long suffering of God waited in 
the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, 
wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by 
water. " 1 Pet. 3:18-20. 

This portion of God's Word is the most per- 
verted and distorted, in order to arrive at an inter- 
pretation that will support a creed, that is to be 
found in the Bible. Notwithstanding such an inter- 
pretation does violence to all known rules of gram- 
mar, our learned D. D.'s are willing to continue in 
this perversion. Herewith we present several differ- 
ent translations, which will throw light on this sub- 
ject, showing the harmony which exists between 
them. 

1 PETER 3:18-20, REVISED VERSION. 

"Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the 
righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring 
us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but quick- 
ened in the spirit; in which also he went and preached 
unto the spirits in prison, which aforetime were dis- 
obedient, when the long-suffering of God waited in 
the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, 



VARIOUS TRANSLATIONS 



91 



wherein few, that is eight, souls were saved by 
water." 

GENEVA. 

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the 
jnst for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, 
and was put to death concerning the flesh, but was 
quickened in the spirit. By which he also went, and 
preached unto the spirits that are in prison, which 
were in time past disobedient, when once the long- 
suffering of God abode in the days of Noah, while 
the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is eight, 
souls were saved in the water." 

SYRIAC. 

"For the Messiah also once died for our sins, the 
righteous for sinners; that he might bring you to 
God. And he died in body, but lived in spirit. And 
he preached to those souls which were detained in 
hades, which were formerly disobedient, in the days 
of Noah, when the long-suffering of God commanded 
an ark to be made, in hope of their repentance; and 
eight souls only entered into it, and were kept alive 
in the waters. ?? 

Below we give the comments of Dr. Clarke and 

others in order to give the reader an opportunity to 

see how the Word of God is twisted to suit a creed. 

Dr. Clarke says : 

"18 v. Being put to death in the flesh — In his 
human nature. 

"But quickened by the Spirit — That very dead 
body revived by the power of his divinity. [There 
are various opinions on the meaning of this verse, 
with which I need not trouble the reader, as I have 
produced that which is most likely.] 



92 



COMMENT BY DK. CLAKKE. 



"19 v. By which — Spirit, his own divine energy 

and authority. 

"He went and preached — By the ministiy of 
Noah one hundred and twenty years. 

"Unto the spirits in prison— The inhabitants of 
the antediluvian world, who, having been disobe- 
dient, and . convicted of the most flagrant transgres- 
sions against God, were sentenced by his just law to 
destruction. But their punishment was delayed to 
see if they would repent; aud the long suffering of 
God waited one hundred and twenty years, which 
were granted to them for this purpose; during which 
time, as criminals tried and convicted, they are rep- 
resented as being in prison — detained under the 
arrest of divine justice, which waited either for their 
repentance or the expiration of the respite, that the 
punishment pronounced might be inflicted. 77 

"This I have long believed to be the sense of this 
difficult passage, and no other that I have seen is so 
consistent, with the whole scope of the place. That 
the Spirit of God did strive with, convict, and 
reprove the antediluvians, is evident from Gen. 
6:3: "My Spirit shall not always strive with man, 
for as much as he is flesh ; yet his days shall be one 
hundred and twenty years./ 7 And it was by this 
Spirit that Noah became a preacher of righteous- 
ness, and condemned that ungodly world (Heb. 
11:7) who would not believe till wrath — divine pun- 
ishment — came upon them to the uttermost, izvevp.aa^ 
spirits, is supposed to render this view of the subject 
improbable, because this must mean disembodied 
spirits; but this certainly does not follow, for the 
spirits of just men made perfect (Heb. 12:23) cer- 
tainly means righteous men, and men still in the 
church militant; and the Father of spirits (Heb. 
12:9) means men still in the body; and the God of 
the spirits of all flesh (Num. 16:22 and 27:16) 
means men not in a disembodied state. " 



REV. THOENLY SMITH'S VIEWS. 93 

This is Dr. Clarke's interpretation of this text, 
in which Christ's spirit is made to appear as having 
preached to the antediluvian world in the person of 
Noah for 120 years and as a result of their disobedi- 
ence Grod brought the flood on them to their destruc- 
tion. 

This interpretation may suit those who think 
more of their creed than the plain truth of Grod's 
Word, and for such, as long as they remain in that 
benighted spiritual condition there is little hope, but- 
ordinary common sense, the native intelligence with 
which God endowed his creatures, when free from 
prejudice, will teach men better things than this. In 
the prefatory notes on the first epistle of Peter Rev. 
Thornly Smith says: 

"Dr. Clarke's interpretation of this passage is by 
no means satisfactory; and, on exegetical grounds, 
must be rejected. Christ was put to death in the 
flesh, but quickened, or made alive again in the 
spirit — that is, as Alford says, 'His flesh was the 
subject, recipient, vehicle of inflicted death; his spirit 
was the suoject, recipient, vehicle of the restored 
life.'" 

"By the spirit here can not be understood the 
Holy Spirit, but Christ's own spirit, which never 
died, but began to live a spiritual resurrection life. 
The following verses certainly affirm our Lord's de- 
scent into Hades. He preached (1) tv izvzoixaai in the 
spirit, not by (as in the E. V.) which can not mean 
that he preached by Noah, but that he preached 
himself in his disembodied Spirit after his death on 



94 



FEONMULLEE AND ALFOED ? S VIEWS. 



the cross. (2) To the spirits in prison, which must 
mean disembodied spirits, not men that were alive 
in the flesh. These were specially, if not exclusively, 
for no others are mentioned, the spirits of the diso- 
bedient antediluvians, who were shut up in the lower 
Hades, having for 120 years sinned against the long- 
suffering of God; who, for that period, waited for 
their repentance, but in vain. (3) He preached to 
them, exrjpu-ev, which means here, as always, preach- 
ing the gospel, declaring the good tidings; and not, 
as some think, announcing condemnation. But how 
could he proclaim any good tidings to them if their 
doom was already sealed? The answer is, it was not 
sealed. They may have repented at last, when they 
saw the flood actually come, and therefore mercy might 
be extended to them now through the finished work 
of Christ on the cross. Such, I believe, is the mean- 
ing of this passage, which is examined at consider- 
able length by Fronmuller and his translator, and 
also by Alford; all of whom, with many other inter- 
preters, explain it in this way. I will insert the con- 
clusive note of the latter: 

u From all, then, which has been said, it will be 
gathered that, with the great majority of commen- 
tators, ancient and modern, I understand these words 
to say that our Lord, in his disembodied state, did 
go to the place of detention of departed spirits, 
and did there announce his work of redemption, 
preach salvation, in fact, to the disembodied spirits 
of those who refused to obey the voice of Grod when 
the judgment of the flood was hanging over them. 
Why these rather than others are mentioned — 
whether merely as a sample of the like gracious work 
on others, or for some special reason unimaginable 
by us, we can not say. It is ours to deal with the 
plain words of Scripture, and to accept its revelations 



FOECING THE BIBLE TO SUIT A CKEED. 95 

as far as vouchsafed to us. And they are vouchsafed 
to us to the utmost limits of legitimate inference 
from revealed facts. That inference every intelligent 
reader will draw from the facts- here announced; it is 
not purgatory, it is not universal restoration, but it 
is one which throws blessed light on one of the dark- 
est enigmas of the divine; the cases where the final 
doom seemed infinitely out of proportion to the lapse 
which has incurred it. And as we can not say as to 
what other cases this vez&ous may have applied, so it 
would be presumption in us to limit its occurrence or 
its efficacy. 

"The reason of mentioning here these sinners, 
above other sinners, appears to be their connection 
with the type of baptism which follows. 

"If so, who shall say that the blessed act was 
confined to them! ?? 

From the foregoing it will be observed, that 
when a man's mind is freed from sectarian prejudice, 
and his intelligence is larger than a creed or church 
discipline, his views will be as liberal as the Lord has 
expressed his will to be concerning his creature. 
Those who endeavor to establish the dogma that pro- 
bation ends with the death of the physical man are 
forced to do violence to the very letter of the Word 
of God. They force the construction that Noah 
preached by the spirit of Christ to the antediluvians, 
who are represented as being in prison, when the lan- 
guage of the Bible says, that Christ, while dead in the 
flesh, went by the Spirit to those who were in prison, 
and preached to them, and the only reference this pas- 



96 NO REFERENCE TO NOAH'S PREACHING. 

sage has to Noah is that it mentions the time when 
the se prisoners were disobedient, and that was in the 
days of Noah, while the ark was preparing. This pas- 
sage does not even hint at Noah's preaching. And in 
order to make the matter still more forcible we will 
locate the prison in which these disobedient departed 
spirits were placed waiting the time for their deliver- 
ance. 



CHAPTER IX 



PEISON HOUSE OR PIT LOCATED. 

"Then certain of the Scribes and of the Phari- 
sees answered, saying, Master we would see a sign 
from thee. 

"But he answered and said unto theru, An evil 
and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and 
there shall be no sign given to it, but the sign of the 
prophet Jonas: 

"For as Jonah was three days and three nights 
in the whale's be.ly; so shall the Son of man be 
three days and three nights in the heart of the 
earth. " Matt. 12:38-40. 

To the average Bible student this allegory of our 
Lord has no further meaning than the establishment 
of the truth of Jonah's prophecy. And to some of 
the popular and leading divines it has no more sig- 
nificance than some fairy tale, as the following news- 
paper report of a sermon delivered by Rev. Lyman 
Abbott, in Plymouth church, Brooklyn, Sunday, 
March 14, 1897, will show: 

"There was little left of the Bible when Eev. 
Lyman Abbott got through with his sermon in 
Plymouth church, Brooklyn, yesterday. He said 
the Old Testament was largely a collection of folk 
lore and Hebrew traditions. The story of Adam and 
the fall of man and the deluge were fables borrowed 

7 97 



98 



MODERN THEOLOGY. 



from Assyrians. He said Moses did not write the 
Pentateuch, and most of the Old Testament books 
were not written by men whose names they bear. 
Explaining, he said: 'When a scientist finds in the 
Bible a story which, if he found it in Greek literature, 
he would unhesitatingly call folk lore, he also calls the 
Bible story folk lore. If he finds in the Bible the tale 
of a wondrous adventure — Jonah and the whale — 
which seems plainly to be simply satirical and imagi- 
native, he calls it a satirical and imaginative tale. In 
Genesis, the scientists find certain tales respecting the 
flood, the fall of man and the Creator. The scientist 
goes to the Assyrian tablets, written a thousand 
years before the time of Moses, and finds analogous 
stories of the fall, the flood, and the Creator. He 
then goes to history and finds that the Hebrews once 
dwelt in Assyria. Hence he draws the logical con- 
clusion that the Hebrews borrowed those stories from 
the Assyrians. By this method of biblical criticism 
it has been found that there are in the Old Testament 
39 separate books, divided into three general classes, 
history, belles lettres, prophecy or preaching. In 
these historical books are quotations from at least 
twelve still more ancient books of which no other 
traces now remain. In these historical books there 
is folk lore, as, for instance, the stories of Samson. 
The modern scientific investigation and criticism of 
the Bible teaches us all the better way to God. We 
have heard, all of us, many sermons on the text, 
'Search the Scriptures.' 'But Christ, 7 he concluded, 
in low, clear tones, 'did not say, Search the Scrip- 
tures.'" — St. Louis Chronicle, March 16, 1897. 

With such biblical teachers as the above report 
would lead us to infer this reverend gentleman is, 
it is not difficult to see the inevitable result. 



JESUS GOES TO THE HEART OF THE EARTH. 99 

For the production of such teachers as this divine 
appears to be from this report, the Churches of the 
nineteenth century are directly responsible. In their 
blindness and determination to adhere to the dogmas 
that have been formulated directly in opposition to 
the Word of God, the fruit produced by such adher- 
ence to the tradition of men has indelibly stamped 
upon it 4 'infidelity. " But man will learn the lesson 
that God would have him learn, if he, too, must pass 
centuries in the pit or prison house, where the dis- 
obedient antediluvians learned their lesson, although 
it consumed a period of over two thousand three 
hundred years in their case. So Jesus says, "As 
Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's 
belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three 
nights in the heart of the earth." The term "heart 
of the earth" is taken by almost all to mean Joseph's 
tomb, when the language itself protests against such 
a construction. 

Webster defines the word u heart"as follows: 
"3. The part nearest the middle or center; the 
part most hidden and within ; the inmost or most es- 
sential part of any body or system." 

The J ews are informed by Jesus that he would 

be in the heart of the earth as Jonah was in the 

whale's belly. It must be admitted that Jonah was 

somewhere in the region of the center of the whale or 

fish. So Jesus says he is going to the heart, which 



100 PKOBATION DOES NOT END WITH DEATH. 

is the middle or center of the earth, but he does not 

inform the Jews of the nature of his mission. This 

would be of little avail because they rejected his 

ministrations to the living. How could they stand the 

thought that he would minister to the dead? It is 

left to the Apostle Peter to explain the nature of his 

mission. "By which also he went and preached unto 

the spirits in prison," his descent then to the heart 

of the earth was for the purpose of preaching the 

gospel to the dead, for he says: 

"For, for this cause was the gospel preached also 
to them that are dead, that they might be judged 
according to men in the flesh, but live according to 
God in the spirit." 1 Pet. 4:6. 

We are at last given direct and positive proof 
that probation does not end with death, for of what 
use would the preaching of the gospel be to the dead 
if they could not receive it, and be saved thereby? 
But here, as in other places, the words, "the dead," 
are not interpreted as meaning those who had de- 
parted this life, but those who were dead in tres- 
passes and sins. But such an interpretation must 
surely be rejected by the seeker after truth who is 
willing to accept a plain statement. In his exhorta- 
tion to godliness the Apostle says: 

"Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us 
in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same 
mind ; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath 
ceased from sin ; that he no longer should live the 



DIFFERENT TRANSLATIONS OF I PET. IV: 1, 6. 101 

rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, 
but to the will of God. For the time past of our 
life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the 
Gentiles, when we walked in'lasciviousness, lusts, 
excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abom- 
inable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that 
ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, 
speaking evil of you: who shall give an account to 
him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead." 

Here follows the verse that proves the preach- 
ing of the gospel to the dead. 

4 'For, for this cause was the gospel preached also 
to them that are dead, that they might be judged 
according to men in the flesh, but live according to 
God in the spirit." 1 Pet. 4:1-6. 

The following translations of the Geneva, Syriac, 

Douay and Eevised Version are given to enable the 

truth seeker to see the perfect harmony that exists 

in these various translations. 

1 PET. 4:6 — GENEVA. 

"For to this purpose was the gospel preached 
also unto the dead, that they might be condemned 
according to men in the flesh, but live according to 
God in the spirit." 

SYRIAC. 

"For on this account the announcement is made 
also to the dead; that they might be judged as 
persons in the flesh, and may live according to God 
in the spirit." 

DOUAY. 

"For, for this cause was the gospel preached also 
to the dead; that they might be judged indeed ac- 
cording to men, in the flesh; but may live according 
to God in the spirit." 



102 THE "DEAD" HERE AEE THE DEPARTED. 



REVISED VERSION. 

"For unto this end was the gospel preached even 
to the dead, that they might be judged according to 
men in the flesh, but live according to God in the 
spirit." 

The only interpretation which can lawfully be 
put on this text is this: 

The dead referred to are people who had 
departed this life. They were in the world of spirits. 
The gospel was preached to them in that state, that 
God might be able to judge them, with the same 
judgment that men in the flesh would be judged by. 

But when men look at the Bible through the 
spectacles of a creed, the Bible must be twisted to suit 
the said creed or its plain teachings are rejected. 

We give below the comments of several able 

divines on this verse. 

Dr. Adam Clarke: "Was the gospel preached 
also to them that are dead? This is a most difficult 
verse; the best translations I have seen of it are the 
following: " 

"For this indeed was the effect of the preaching 
of the gospel to the dead (the unconverted Gentiles), 
that some will be punished as carnal men; but others 
(those converted to Christianity) lead a spiritual life 
unto God." — Wakefield. 

"For this purpose hath the gospel been preached 
even to the dead (i. e., the Gentiles), that although 
they might be condemned, indeed, by men in the 
flesh (their persecutors), yet they might live eter- 
nally by God in the spirit. 7 '— McKnighU 

"For this cause was the gospel preached to them 
that were dead; that they who live according to men 



THE BIBLE DISTOPwTED. 



103 



in the flesh, may be condemned; but they who live 
according to God in the spirit, may live." — Knaick- 
lull. 

4k There are as many different translations of this 
verse, and comments upon it, as there are translators 
and commentators. 

"That of Sir Norton Knatchbnll, could the Greek 
text bear it, appears the most simple; but that of 
Dr. McKnight, which is nearly the sense given by 
Mr. Wesley in his paraphrase, is more likely to be 
the true one among those already proposed. But if 
the Apostle had the same fact in view which he 
mentions, chapter 3: 19, 20, then the antediluvians 
are the persons intended: For this cause — that 
Christ is prepared to judge the quick and the dead, 
and to dispense righteous judgment in consequence 
of having afforded them every necessary advantage, 
was the gospel preached by Xoah to them also who 
are dead — the antediluvian world, then dead in 
trespasses and sin. and condemned to death by the 
righteous judgment of God: but in his great com- 
passion he afforded them a respite, that though they 
were condemned as men in the flesh (for this was 
their character: my spirit will not always strive with 
men. forasmuch as he is flesh. Gen. 6:3), yet. hear- 
ing this gospel by Xoah they may believe and live 
according to God in the spirit — live a blessed life in 
eternity according to the mercy of God, who sent 
his Spirit to strive with them. This appears to me 
to be the most consistent sense; especially seems to 
refer to what he has said of the Spirit of Christ in 
Koah preaching to the spirits in prison — the rebel- 
lious that lived before the flood.*' 

This last comment by Dr. Clarke is similar to 

Dr. Knatchbull's translation of verse 6. Dr. Clarke 



104 



dr. Clarke's admission. 



is forced to admit that the Greek text can not bear 
such a translation as Dr. Knatchbull's, and it is plain 
to the unbiased reader that such distortions of the 
sacred text are purposely made to bolster up a creed 
that stands opposed to the plain words of Scripture. 

In this text (verse 6), there is no reference 
whatever to the preaching done by Noah. But Dr. 
Clarke, like Dr. Knatchbull, must distort and twist 
the interpretation so as to make it fit the creed to 
which he has subscribed, which creed stands op- 
posed to God extending his merciful arm across the 
valley of death to save those to whom he did not 
send the gospel in this life, but promised that they 
should have Christ testified to them in "due time. 77 

In the prefatory notes on the first epistle of St. v 
Peter (see Dr. Adam Clarke's Commentary), Rev. 
Thornly Smith says: 

"Chap. 4. — (Verses 1-6.) — Exhortation to the 
endurance of the suffering after the example of 
Christ. As in verse 5, the word »skpnos undoubt- 
edly means dead men, it must mean the same in verse 
6; and to refer it to those who were in trespasses and 
sin, as Dr. Clarke does, is certainly erroneous. The 
passage evidently refers to chapter 3:19, 20, and 
must be interpreted in the same way. "The Apostle 
meets the objection — can the dead also be judged? 
Yes; and for this very purpose Christ, as aforesaid, 
preached the gospel in Hades to the dead. 7 (Fron- 
muller, and so also Steiger, Alford, etc.) 

"Whether any of them accepted the offer of sal- 
vation the Apostle does not say; but it was 'for this 



DK. SMITH VS. DE. CLARKE. 



105 



cause/ or, with this end in view, that in the last 
day they might be judged even as others — 'that they 
might be judged according to men, as regards the 
flesh, but might live according to God, as regards the 
spirit/ Their living, however, implies the accept- 
ance of the offer, though it is not expressed. On 
this mysterious subject, I have no hesitation in sub- 
scribing to the following passage from the commen- 
tary of Fronmuller: 

"Holy Scripture nowhere teaches the eternal 
damnation of those who die as heathens or non- 
christians; it rather intimates, in many passages, 
that forgiveness may be possible beyond the grave, 
and refers the final decision, not to death, but to 
the day of Christ. Acts 17:31; II Tim. 1:12, 4:8; 
I John 4:17. But in our passage, as in chapter 3:19, 
20, Peter, by divine illumination, clearly affirms 
that the ways of God's salvation do not terminate 
with earthly life and that the gospel is preached, be- 
yond the grave, to those who have departed from 
this life without a knowledge of the same. But this 
proves neither the doctrine of universal recovery, 
even that of Satan, the devils, and the ungodly, nor 
the doctrine of Purgatory, to the cleansing of which 
the Romish church affirms all are subjected who 
reach the other world without being wholly purified; 
and further maintains that their stay in it may be 
shortened by the performance of many good works, 
s and prayers for the dead on the part of the survivors. 
Gerlach cites a passage from John Damasc, in which 
the doctrine of the ancient church, on the subject of 
Christ's descent into hell, is summed up as follows: 
'His glorified soul descends into Hades, in order that, 
like as the Son of Righteousness did rise to men on 
earth, so in like manner he might shine on those who, 
under the earth, sit in darkness and in the shadow 
of death ; in order that as he did publish peace to men 



106 



DE. THOENLY SMITH* S VIEWS. 



on earth, gave deliverance to the captives and sight 
to the bliud, and became the cause of eternal salva- 
tion to believers, while he convicted the disobedient 
of unbelief, so in like manner he might deal with the 
inhabitants of Hades, so that to him every knee 
should bow of those who are in heaven, on earth, and 
under the earth, and that having thus loosed the 
chains of those long confined prisoners, he might re- 
turn from the dead and prepare to us the way of 
resurrection,' The divine truth contained in this 
passage may be abused against the cause of missions 
and the necessity of holy life, but abuse does not 
cancel the right use. ?? 

"Such objections to this view, I would add, are 
utterly groundless, as it does not imply that men 
who die in sin, having never heard of Christ, will 
not suffer at all. On the contrary, they will suffer if 
they do not walk according to the light they have; 
and to save them now — to save them from temporary 
condemnation, and to snatch them from the guilt, 
and power and consequences of transgression before 
they die, were surely worth all the efforts which the 
Church can put forth by means of missions. Besides 
which, the command of our Lord (Mark 16:15, 16), 
is express and we are bound to act upon it in what- 
ever peril the heathen may be. But how is it possi- 
ble to suppose that the millions of our race who lived 
and died without the light of Christianity are 
doomed to irremediable woe? Shall not the Judge 
of all the earth do right?' 7 

Yes, and he knew that all those thousands of 
millions were passing, and had been passing into 
death, and he sent Jesus Christ to redeem all men, 
and to preach the gospel, which is his power unto 
salvation, not only to the living tut also to the dead, 



QUESTION OF THE "HEATHEN " SOLVED. 



107 



that all might be judged alike at the day of judg- 
ment. When we can look at God from this point 
of view, we behold him in his grand character of be- 
ing all-wise, all-powerful, almighty, and not a 
respecter of persons. But, when you look at him 
through the spectacles of a "creed" you see a 
monster, the like of which neither pagans nor 
mythologists in- all their vagaries could conjure. Let 
the conflicting denominations accept the God-revealed 
truth, that probation continues until the great day of 
judgment, whether in this life, or beyond the grave, 
and the question of the salvation of the heathen is 
solved. Not only that part of heathendom that ex- 
ists to-day, but that which has existed in all ages of 
the world, and for all time to come up to the day of 
judgment. 

The prophet, Ezekiel, describes others who 
were equally as wicked as the antediluvians, as hav- 
ing gone to the same place that those who were 
destroyed by the flood in Noah's time went to, the 
"pit," for we read, 

"Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, 
and cast them down, even her, and the daughters 
unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go 
down into the pit. 

"Whom dost thou pass in beauty? Go down and 
be thou laid with the uncircumcised. They shall 
fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword: 
she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her 



108 



NATIONS IN THE U PIT ?? OR "HELL." 



multitudes. The strong among the mighty shall 

speak to him out of the midst of hell with them t at 
help him; they are gone down: they lie uncircum- 
cised, slain by the sword. 

"Asshur is there, and all her company: his 
graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the 
sword: whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, 
and her company is round about her grave: all of 
them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror 
in the land of the living. There is Elam and all her 
multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, 
fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircum- 
cised into the nether penis of the earth, which caused 
their terror in the land of the living: yet have they 
borne their shame with them that go down to the 
pit. They have set her a bed in the midst of the 
slain with all her multitude: her graves are round 
about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the 
sword. Though their terror was caused in the land 
of the living, yet have they borne their shame with 
them that go down to the pit: he is put in the midst of 
them that be slain. There is Meshech, Tubal and 
all her multitude: her graves are round about him: 
all of them uncircumcised. slain by the sword, though 
they caused their terror in the land of the living. 

"And they shall not lie with the mighty that 
are fallen of the uncircumcised which are going clown 
to hell with their weapons of war: and they have 
laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquity 
shall be upon their bones, though they were the ter- 
ror of the mighty in the land of the living. Yea, 
thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncir- 
cumcised, and shalt lie with them that are slain with 
the sword. There is Edom, her kings, and all her 
princes which with their might are laid by them that 
were slain by the sword: they shall lie with the 



NATIONS IN THE "pit" OK "HELL." 109 



uncircumcised and with them that go down to the 
pit. 

4 'There be the princes of the north all of them 
and all the Zidonians which are going" down with the 
slain; with their terror they are ashamed of their 
might; and they lie uncircumcised with them that be 
slain by the sword; and bear their shame with them 
that go down to the pit. Pharaoh shall see them, 
and shall be comforted over all his multitudes, even 
Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword, saith 
the Lord God. For I have caused my terror in the 
land of the living: and shall be laid in the midst of 
the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the 
sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitudes saith 
the Lord God." Ezek. 32:19-32. 

It will be clearly seen that not only the antedi- 
luvians are to be found in the "pit or prison," some- 
times termed "hell" by the prophet, but the follow- 
ing nations: 

Asshur — and all her company. 

Elam — and all her multitude. 

Meshech — and all her multitude. 

Tubal — and all her multitude. 

Edom — her kings and all her princes. 

The princes of the north, all of them. 

All the Zidionians. 

And God, speaking about Pharaoh, king of 

Egypt, and his multitude, says: 

"Thus saith the Lord God; In the day when he 
went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I cov- 
ered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods 
thereof and the great waters were staid: and I 



110 



PHARAOH COMFORTED IN "HELL." 



caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees 
of the field fainted for him. I made the nations to 
shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down 
to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all 
the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, 
all that drink water, shall be comforted in the ne her 
parts of the earth. They also went down into hell 
with him, unto them that be slain with the sword; 
and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his 
shadow in the midst of the heathen. To whom art 
thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the 
trees of Eden. Yet thou shalt be brought down with 
the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: 
thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with 
them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh 
and all his multitude, saith the Lord God. Ezek. 
31:15-18. 

Pharaoh and his multitude and all those nations 
named above, are to be brought down to the pit — to 
hell in the nether parts of the earth. 

Webster defines the word "nether" as follows: 
"Situated down or below, lying or being beneath, 
or in the lower part ; having a lower position ; be- 
longing to the region below; lower." 

Jesus Christ declared that he would be in the 
heart of the earth — Matt. 12:40 — which corresponds 
exactly with the location of Pharaoh, his multitude, 
and the disobedient antediluvians, and where the 
psalmist says that the "wicked and all nations that 
forget Grod will be turned into, L e. y hell, sheol, the 
grave, where they will have an opportunity, after 
their detention, to hear the gospel. 



DR. PHILLIP SCHAFF'S VIEWS. 



Ill 



Eev. Phillip Schaff, D. D., has the following to 

say on this most important question: 

"The following may be regarded as the teaching 
of the ^Sew Testament on the" subject: (1) Christ 
appeared among the departed in Hades, while his 
body was lying in the grave. This is presupposed 
by Paul in Rom. 10:6-8 (Meyer), and implied in 
C hrist's own words to the thief on the cross. (Luke 
23:43.) (2) Christ went as spirit Qxveufia) to the 
realm of the dead (1 Pet. 3:18 sq., c f Acts 2:27), 
and (3) there preached the gospel (1 Pet. 3:19) 
(1) to all the dead, and with the more particular 
purpose of awakening spiritual life (1 Pet. 4:6). It 
is true that Christ's preaching to the contemporaries 
of Noah has been explained to refer to an activity 
before he became flesh (Augustine, Beza, A. Schwei- 
zer); but the representation of these persons as 
being spirits in prison as well as other considera- 
tions, render this view improbable. If it be true 
that man spends the interval between death and the 
final resurrection in the intermediate state, Hades, it 
fo.lows as a necessary consequence from the real 
humanity of Christ, that he also participated in this 
lot. This descent into Hades was, therefore, a dis- 
tinct stage in the final process through which the 
theanthropic personality of Christ passed to the 
glorified body (tw/m t/;? ^q?), Christ appeared in 
Hades in his own special character of redeemer, and 
imparted the saving vital energy of God to those 
who were lifted into communion with himself by 
faith: of the results of this activity, we know noth- 
ing certainly. But the analogy of this world leads 
us to expect that he was there the savor of life unto 
life to some and of death unto death to others, as 
Hades consists of two domains, — paradise, or Abra- 
ham's bosons and the place of torment. ?; Schaff- 



112 



DR. FARRAR ? S VIEWS. 



Herzog-Encyclopaedia of Religious Knowledge, vol. 
2, p. 962. 

F. W. Farrar, D. D., F. R. 8. 5 who is regarded 
as one of the fairest and ablest writers of the age, 
commenting on the 1 Epistle of Peter, says: 

4 4 St. Peter has one doctrine which is almost 
peculiar to himself, and which is inestimably pre- 
cious. In this he not only ratifies some of the widest 
hopes which it had been given to his brother Apostle, 
if not to reveal, at least to intimate, but he also sup- 
plements these hopes by the new aspect of a much 
disregarded, and, indeed, till recent times half- 
forgotten, article of the Christian creed: — I mean 
the object of Christ's descent into Hades. In this 
truth is involved nothing less than the extension of 
Christ's redeeming work to the dead who died before 
his coming. Had the epistle contained nothing else 
but this, it would at once have been raised above the 
irreverent charge of being 'secondhanded and com- 
monplace/ I allude of course to the famous pas- 
sage in which St. Peter tells us (3:19,20) that 
'Christ died for sins once for all that he may lead 
us to God, slain indeed in the flesh but quickened in 
the spirit in which he also went and preached to the 
spirits in prison, once disobedient, when the long 
suffering of God was waiting in the days of Noah, 
during the preparing of the ark, by entering into 
which few, that is, eight souls, were brought safe 
through the water. ?? 

6 4 So far is this from being a casual allusion, that 
St. Peter returns to it as though with the object of 
making its meaning indisputably plain. When he 
speaks of the perishing heathen, who shall, after 
lives of sin and self-indulgence, give account to the 



DE. FAREAK's VIEWS. 



113 



Judge of quick and dead, he says — 'For, for this 
cause also, even to the dead was the gospel preached ; ' 
adding, as though to preclude any escape from his 
plain meaning, 'that they may be judged according 
to men in the flesh, but may live according to God 
in the spirit." Few words of Scripture have been 
so tortured and emptiec of their significance as 
these. In other passages w^ole theological systems, 
whole ecclesiastical despotisms, have been built on 
the abuse of a metaphor, on the translation of 
rhetoric into logic, on the ignorance and incapacity 
which will not interpret words according to the 
universal rules of literary criticisms ; and yet every 
effort has been made to explain away the plain 
meaning of this passage. It is one of the most pre- 
cious passages of Scripture, and it involves no am- 
biguity, except such as is created by the scholasticism 
of a prejudiced theology. It stands almost alone in 
Scripture, not indeed in the gleam of light which it 
throws across the awful darkness of the destiny of 
sin, but in the manner in which it reveals to us the 
source from which that gleam of light has been de- 
rived. For if languages have any meaning, this lan- 
guage means that Christ, when his spirit descended 
into the lower world, proclaimed the message of sal- 
vation to the once impenitent dead. In the first 
indeed of the two allusions to this truth the preach- 
ing is formally limited to those who died in the 
delude. This is clue to two causes. St. Peter's 
mind is full of the deluge as a type of the world's 
lustration, first by death and then by deliverance, 
just as baptism is a type of death unto sin and the 
new life unto righteousness. Also he is thinking of 
Christ's comparison of the days of Noah to the clays 
of the Son of man. But it is impossible to suppose 

6 



114 



DR. FARRAR ? S VIEWS. 



that the antediluvian sinners, conspicuous as they 
were for their wickedness, were the only ones of all 
the dead who were singled out to receive the message 
of deliverance. That restricted application is ex- 
cluded by the second passage. There the Apostle 
shows that he had only referred to those who per- 
ished in the de.uge as striking representatives of a 
world of sinners, judged as regards men in the flesh, 
but living as regards God in the spirit. For, in 
referring to the judgment which awaits the heathen, 
he attempers the awful thought of their iniquities 
and of their future retribution which awaits thetn by 
saying, that with a view to this very state of things 
the gospel was preached to the dead: — in order that, 
however terrible might be the judgments which 
would befall their human nature, the hope of some 
spiritual share in the divine life might not be forever 
excluded at the moment of death. Of the effect of 
the preaching nothing is said. There is no dogma 
of universalism or of conditional immortality. All 
details, as in the entire eschatology of Scripture, are 
left dim and indefinite; but no honest man who goes 
to Holy Scripture to seek for truth, instead of going to 
try and find whatever errors he may bring to it as a 
part of his theological belief, can possibly deny that 
there is ground here to mitigate that element of the 
popular teaching of Christendom against which 
many of the greatest saints and theologians have 
raised their voices. 

4k That teaching rests with the deadliest weight 
on all who have sufficient imagination to realize the 
meaning of the phrases in which they indulge, and 
sufficient he°rt to feel their awfulness. 

"If Christ preached to dead men who were once 
disobedient, then Scripture shows us that the moment 



CALVIN AND AUGUSTINE KEPUDIATED. 115 



of death does not necessarily involve a final and hope- 
less torment for every sinful soul. Of all the blunt 
weapons of ignorant controversy employed against 
those to whom has been revealed the possibility of a 
larger hope than is left mankind by Augustine or by 
Calvin, the bluntest is the charge that such a hope 
renders null the necessity for the work of Christ. 
As if it were not this very hope which gives to the 
love of Christ its mightiest effectiveness ! We thus 
rescue the work of redemption from the appearance 
of having failed to achieve its end for the vast ma- 
jority of those for whom Christ died. 

"By accepting the light thus thrown upon the de- 
scent into hell, we extend to those of the dead who 
have not finally hardened themselves against it, the 
blessedness of Christ's atoning work. We thus com- 
plete the divine, all-comprehending circuit of God's 
universal grace! In these passages, as has been 
truly said, we may see an expansive paraphrase 
and exuberant variation of the original Pauline 
theme of universalism of the evangelic embassage of 
Christ and of his sovereignty over the world; 
and especially of the passage in the Philippians, 
where all they that are in heaven and on earth, and 
under the earth, are enumerated as classes of sub- 
jects of the exalted Eedeemer. But alas! Human 
perversity has darkened the very heavens looking at 
them through the medium of its own preconceptions 
and the clear light of revelation has streamed m vain 
upon the awfulness of the future. The attempts to 
make the descent of Jesus into Hades a visit merely 
to liberate the holy patriarchs, or to strike terror into 



116 



GOSPEL PKO CLAIMED TO THE DEAD. 



the evil spirits, are the unworthy inventions of dog- 
matic embarrassment. The interpretation of 4 6 Christ's 
preaching" as only a preaching of damnation is one 
of the most melancholy specimens of theological 
hardness trying to blot out the hope of God's mercy 
from the world beyond the grave. 

"It was," asReuss says, "far better than all that; 
it was for the living a new manifestation of the in- 
exhaustible grace of Grod; for the dead a supreme 
opportunity of casting themselves into the arms of 
his mercy; and finally, for Christian theologians, so 
skillful in torturing the letter, and. so blind at seiz- 
ing the spirit, it might have been the germ of a blind 
and fruitful conception, if instead of compressing 
more and more the circle of life and light by their 
formula and their anathemas, they would have learnt 
from the teaching of the apostle that this circle is 
illimitable, and that the light-giving rays which 
stream from its centre can penetrate even the most 
distant sphere of the world of spirits." — "Early 
Days of Christianity," pp. 91, 92, 93, 94. 

"The general meaning of this passage — Christ's 
descent into Hades to proclaim the gospel to the once 
disobedient dead— is to every unobscured and un- 
sophisticated mind as clear as words can make it. 
Theologians have attempted to get rid of this ob- 
vious reference by explaining it of Christ preaching 
in the person of Noah; or by making "he preached" 
mean "he announced condemnation." These at- 
tempts arise from the spirit or system w T hich would 
fain be more orthodox than Scripture itself, and 
which would exclude every ground of future hope 



BUTHLESSNESS OF COMMENTATORS . 



117 



from the revelation of a love too loving for hearts 
trained in bitter theologies. What was the effect of 
Christ's preaching we are not told. Some, perhaps, 
may like to assume that the preaching of Christ in 
the unseen world was unanimously rejected by the 
once disobedient dead, though the mention of their 
former disobedience seems to imply the inference 
that they did harken now. Others can, if they 
choose, assert that this proclamation of the gospel 
to disembodied spirits was confined to antediluvian 
sinners. With such inferences we are unconcerned. " 
Ibid., p. 110. 

After quoting 1 Peter 4:6, Mr. Farrar again 

refers to the work of commentators. 

"In the last verse we again encounter the ruth- 
lessness of commentators. 'The dead' to whom 
the gospel was preached are taken to mean some- 
thing quite different from 'the dead' who are to 
give an account. The dead to whom the gospel is 
preached are explained away in to 'sinners' or 'the 
Gentiles/ or 'some who are now dead.' Augus- 
tine, as might have been expected, leads away in one 
wrong direction, and Calvin in another. Another 
view — which makes this verse mean that "Christ 
will judge even the dead as well as the living, be- 
cause the dead too will not have been without an 
opportunity to receive his gospel' — is indeed tenable. 
To me, however, judging of the feelings of the Apos- 
tle, from his boundless gratitude for the opportu- 
nities of obtaining forgiveness, and from the love 
which he inculcates toward all mankind, the con- 
nection seems to be: 'The heathen in all their count- 
less myriads, who seem to be hopelessly perishing 
around you, will be judged; — but the very reason 
why the gospel was preached by Christ to the dead 



118 



THEOLOGY AND CKITICISM. 



was in order that this judgment may be founded on 
principles of justice, that they may be judged in their 
human capacity as sinners, and yet may live to God 
as regards the. diviner part of their natures;' — if, 
that is, they accept this offer of the gospel to them 
even beyond the grave." — Ibid., p. 3. 

This exegesis by Dr. Farrar can not be rejected 
by any one who is willing to receive a clear, plain 
statement set forth in language as easy of com- 
prehension as is found in this text. The mutila- 
tion and distortion of this part of Peter's first 
epistle (3:19-20, 4:6) in order to make it conform 
to the theology of the nineteenth centuiy, only 
reveals the horrible depth of deception to which so- 
called Christian theology has sunk in its desperate 
effort to keep the sinking hulks of dogmatic tradition 
above the waters of a vile ecclesiasticism. But the 
overwhelming tide of investigation will engulf all the 
theories of men which do not harmonize with divine 
truth. The waves of criticism will sweep them from 
the shores of time with irresistible force, and they 
will sink in the oblivion of eternity, and their bane- 
ful influence will be no more felt by the honest seeker 
after truth. In the Hebrew epistle St. Paul admon- 
ishes the ministry, who were entrusted with the 
spiritual instruction of the church among them in 
these words: 

"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, 
ye have need that one teach you again which be the 
first principles of the oracles of Grod. 7 ' Heb. 5:12. 



NO KEWAKD FOE MISEEPEESENTATIOX. 119 

This admonition is as truly applicable to the 
ministry of to-day as it was eighteen centuries ago. 
But the vast majority of traditionized theological 
instructors, instead of displaying a willingness to 
acquire a more comprehensive and extended acquaint- 
ance with the divine scheme of salvation, are willing 
to brave the judgment, rather than confess the inad- 
equacy of their creeds to meet the provisions of Script- 
ure relative to the salvation of all mankind. We are 
far from being unwilling to give credit where it prop- 
erly belongs. We are always ready to acknowledge a 
kindness done even by the vilest wretch, or the most 
hardened infidel. We laud the work of tho^e char- 
itable institutions controlled by the various creeds, 
when it is performed in righteousness for the up- 
building of humanity. No man that is free from 
prejudice will be found willing to condemn any insti- 
tution that has for its object the elevation of the 
human family. We also believe that the least act of 
kindness performed by the most depraved of man- 
kind will not go without its reward at the hands of 
him who said the giving of "a cup of cold water on'y 
in the name of a disciple shall not lose its reward." 
Matt. 10:42. 

But we are not prepared to admit that a misrep- 
resentation of God, or his Word, will be rewarded, 
even if such misrepresentation be clothed in the garb 
of theology. 



120 THEOLOGIANS HELD ACCOUNTABLE. 

Theologians will be compelled to answer for the 
glaring misrepresentation of the infinite plan of salva- 
tion the Creator promulgated in his wonderful Word. 
This Word having been so widely circulated among 
his creatures, how sad the thought that it is so little 
understood, and sadder still that it is even rejected 
by them. Certain parts of the Bible are discarded 
by its avowed friends because it will not yield to 
the whims of men, but will always reflect the sublime 
character of its author, who will judge its despoilers 
by their own utterances against the sacred light it 
sought to cast along the pathway of the erring creat- 
ure. "For by thy words thou shalt be justified and 
by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Matt. 
12:37. 



CHAPTER X. 



In taking the position that salvation extends be- 
yond death, we wish to be clearly understood in de- 
fending that proposition. 

This argument is not presented for the purpose 
of showing that men have a license to commit sin in 
this life, led on by the hope of repenting and the 
hope of salvation after death. The Bible teaches no 
such doctrine. But that God has made provisions in 
his Word whereby all men are to have Christ testified 
to them "in due time" is a doctrine that no man can 
successfully refute. Since the "due time" of so 
many has not come in this life, it absolutely follows 
that it must come in the next life. This view is in 
strict keeping with the justice of Cod. No undue 
liberty is given for violating the divine law. But 
Protestantism, in its interpretation of the parable of 
the laborers, found in Matt. 20:1-6, is guilty of 
teaching a doctrine which gives man a license to 
commit sin. 

The first, third, sixth, ninth and eleventh hours 
are represented as symbolizing different periods in a 
man's natural life. The eleventh hour generally 
finds those who can not serve Satan any longer, and 

121 



122 



DEATH BED KEPENTANCE. 



who are desirous of escaping punishment, in a very 
penitent condition. They are taught that the 
amount of reward symbolized by the "penny" is 
received by him who wrought but one hour, while 
those who "have borne the burden and heat of the 
day" receive no more. The world presents a great 
many attractions more pleasing to the unregenerate 
mind than the cold orthodox Churches have to offer. 

For the above reason, the reflective man (un- 
fortunately in matters of religion few in number) 
can logically argue that if as great a reward awaits 
him as a result of a death bed conversion, as comes 
to the man who has given a long life of faithful 
service to his Lord, why should not the debauchee 
indulge his passions until the eleventh hour? Such 
an one then could, by giving his heart to the Lord 
Jesus Christ, receive the same reward, after having 
spent a life of open rebellion against God's law, as 
the man would who was diligent in keeping his Mas- 
ter's commandments all his life. If such an exegesis 
of this parable is not a direct license to commit sin, 
then language is utterly powerless to convey thought. 
Protestantism, while it condemns in unmeasured 
terms the Roman Catholic doctrine of " Indul- 
gences," stands convicted of the same charge, when 
its theology is correctly understood. 



MAN JUDGED BY HIS WORKS. 



123 



If it be true, according to Protestant theology, 
that the roan who is converted in the last hours of a 
dissipated life receives as great reward as the faithful 
disciple, who has spent his life in the Master's serv- 
ice, then the Bible misrepresents God, Man is to 
be judged and rewarded by the God of the Bible, ac- 
cording to his works. 

"For the Son of man shall come in the g'ory of 
his Father with his angels; and then he shall re- 

WAKD EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS.* 5 Matt. 
16:27. 

"Also unto thee, 0 Lord, belongeth mercy: for 
thou renderest to every man according to his work. 73 
Ps. 62:12. 

"Who will render to every man according to his 
deeds. ?? Eom. 2 = 6. 

"For we must all appear before the judgment 
seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things 
done in his body, according to that he hath done, 
whether it be good or bad." 2 Cor. 5:10. 

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand 
before God; and the books were opened: and an- 
other book was opened, which is the book of life and 
the dead were judged out of those things which were 
written in the books, according to their works. And 
the sea gave up the dead which were in it ; and death 
and hell delivered up the dead which were in them 
and they were judged every man according to their 
works." Rev. 20:12,13. 

"And, behold I come quickly and my reward 
is with me, to give every man according as his work 
shall be," Rev. 22:12. 

From the foregoing Scriptures it will be plainly 

seen that every man will be judged by and receive 



124 WE ARE REWARDED FOR WORKS. 



a reward commensurate with his works. Since it is 
the express purpose of God to reward every man 
according to his works, whether good or evil, it 
becomes extremely difficult for our Protestant theo- 
logians to extricate themselves from a libelous mis- 
representation of the Grod of the Bible. Doctor 
Briggs says: 

u The redemption of the Bible comprehends the 
whole process of grace. Modern Protestants have 
unduly emphasized the beginning of redemption, 
justification by faith alone. The slight put upon 
Christian love prevented many a devout soul, like 
Staupitz, from joining in the Reformation. One of 
the disciples of Luther taught that good works were 
hurtful to salvation; and a practical, if not a theo- 
retical Antinomianism has too often been one of the 
Adam's apples of Protestantism. 

" James has a word for the men of this genera- 
tion. 'Faith without works is s dead. ? Jas. 2:26. 
A justification that does not lead on to sanctification 
gives no credentials of genuineness. A faith that does 
not result in a life of repentance discredits itself. 

6 'The movement called Methodism laid too much 
stress upon the experience of regeneration at the 
beginning of the Christian's life. But a regenera- 
tion that does not exhibit a real, earnest Christian 
life, fruitful in good works, is not a regeneration 
into the kingdom of Grod, whatever else it may be. ;? 
— Inaugural Address, p. 53. 

The learned Doctor in his endeavor to return to 

the u old paths'' and to walk therein, in order to 



JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ONLY DISPKOYED. 125 

find rest for his soul, invited the church with which 
he communed to accompany him. "But they said 
we will not walk therein. " Jer. 6:16. 

Justification by works as well as by faith is a 
doctrine that is too biblical for the majority of evan- 
gelical Churches of the Nineteenth Century. How- 
beit, it was the doctrine of the Church, founded by 
Christ the Lord and is maintained by his Word. 

"But wilt thou know, 0 vain man, that faith 
without works is dead/ Was not Abraham our father 
justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son 
upon the altar' Seestthou how faith wrought with his 
works, and by works was faith made perfect? And 
the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham 
believed God and it was imputed unto him for right- 
eousness: and he was called the friend of God. Ye 
see, then, how that by works a man is justified and 
not by faith only.' ? Jas. 2:20-24. 

Those who seek to establish justification by 
"faith only" do not accept the above scripture as 
having this bearing for they see in it a contradiction 
of the position they occupy. They resort to the fol- 
lowing texts to overthrow the doctrine of works as a 
means of justification and as an authority for cleav- 
ing to faith only : 

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works 
of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we 
have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be jus- 
tified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of 



126 



PETER REBUKED BY PAUL. 



the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh 

be justified/' Gal. 2:16. 

"When this text is understood, just as it stands, 

without any farfetched interpretation, it will be found 

to be in harmony with the declaration of James. 

The cause that called forth this language from the 

great Apostle is clearly seen from the language of the 

fourteenth verse. 

"But when I saw that they walked not uprightly 
according to the truth of the gospel. I said unto 
Peter before them all. if thou being a Jew. livest after 
the manner of the Gentiles and not as do the Jews, 
why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the 
Jews. 7 ' 

Peter, to whom the gospel of the circumcision 
was committed (verse 7), was found in questionable 
work and was withstood to the face by Paul for such 
conduct "because he was to be blamed" (verse 11). 
The works referred to here were the works of the 
Mosaic law, and had no reference whatever to the 
gospel. The gospel, however, embodies works that 
are absolutely necessary, in conjunction with faith, 
to justify a man. Ephesians 2:8, 9, is one of the 
strongest passages in favor of salvation without works 
that is found in the Bible. Unfortunately, for those 
who hold to this view a simple reading of the 8th, 
9th and 10th verses, in conjunction, will only reveal 
the sandy foundation on which this theory is built. 
Here they are — 



MAN NOT JUSTIFIED WITHOUT WOBKS. 



127 



"For by grace are ye saved through faith and 
that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of 
works, lest any man should boast. " 

This is all that is ever quoted to support this 

doctrine. The next verse is never read, for it sounds 

the death knell to such a theory. Let us read it with 

attention. 

"For we are his workmanship created in Christ 
Jesus unto good wo)ks, which God hath before or- 
dained that we should walk in them." 

There never has lived a man, since the fall of 
Adam, who could by his own good works save him- 
self. But all men can save themselves by walking in 
the works " which God hath before ordained." We 
are fully aware of the fact that we are now bombard- 
ing the very citadel of Protestantism, viz. : Justifi- 
cation by faith, and faith only, without any works 
on the part of the creature whatsoever. But by the 
grace of God we hope to be able to show that what 
we have advanced is in strict keeping with the gospel 
of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation 
to everyone that believeth. We will also prove that 
a man can not be justified without works. We might 
inquire what is meant by the term "works," when it 
is considered in the sense of affecting justification. 
It undoubtedly means the performance of certain 
things which man is commanded to do by him who 
alone has a right to command in such matters. But 



128 MENTAL AND CORPOREAL WORKS. 



"works" have more than one distinguishing charac- 
teristic, to wit: Mental and corporeal works. Faith, 
then, may properly be characterized as a heartfelt 
mental work. For the very assent of the mind to 
believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is a 
mental act, and involves work in such exercise. 

The people at one time came to Christ and 
asked him the following question: "What shall we 
do that we might work the works of God? 77 Notice 
the answer, ye Pharisees of the nineteenth century: 
"Jesus answered and said unto them, this is. the 
ivork of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath 
sent. 77 John 6:28, 29. Jesus Christ here declares 
that to believe on him is a God-ordained work. But 
this (mental) work, known as faith or belief on or 
in Christ, when it stands alone, will neither save nor 
justify any man. 

For we are informed by the Lord that it is 
"dead. 77 (Jas. 2:17.) How, then, can a man be 
saved or justified by that which has no life in it? 
It is evident from the reasoning of James that there 
are two kinds of faith. The one which stands alone 
u is dead. 77 The other is made "perfect, 77 when 
corporeal works are subjoined to it. 

"Seest thou how faith wrought with his works 
and by works was faith made perfect. 77 Jas. 2:22. 
Hence the Apostle Paul exhorts the Philippians to 



FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD. 



129 



"work oat your own salvation in fear and trembling." 
Phil. 2:12. It must appear evident, to the careful 
reader, that if those Philippian saints were to 4 ' work 
out their own salvation/' then the saints of to-day, 
if such a class exists, will be obliged to work out 
their own salvation also. The enquiring multitude 
on the day of Pentecost, after being informed what 
they must do, were exhorted to "Save yourselves 
from this untoward generation." Then, they who 
performed the (mental) work of receiving the word 
also performed the corporeal work of submitting 
themselves to the ordinance of baptism, thereby per- 
fecting their faith. (See Acts 2:37-41.) Thus it 
will be seen that Protestant theology, instead of pre- 
senting a faith made perfect by works, has all along 
the line taught a "dead faith' J that never did, never 
could and never can justify anybody. 

A very popular text, quoted by those who repu- 
diate the efficacy of works, performed by the disci- 
ple in his own salvation, is the following: 

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the 
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that 
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be 
saved." Eom. 10:9. 

If the simple confession of the mouth th^at Jesus 

Christ is the Son of God, the Savior, or that we 

believe him to be our individual Savior, coupled 

with a heartfelt belief that God raised him from the 

9 



130 WE CAN NOT BE SAVED IN IGNORANCE. 



dead, be sufficient to save a man in the celestial 
kingdom of God, then all the commandments of 
Jesus Christ are superfluous and nonessential. But 
the context throws sufficient light on this text to 
reveal the error in assuming the position of justifica- 
tion by faith alone. The heartfelt desire of the great 
Apostle, and his prayer to God for the salvation of 
Israel, are beautifully portrayed in the first verse of 
this chapter. Israel's zeal is highly commended, 
but their lack of knowledge is deeply deplored in the 
second and third verses. For Paul clearly reveals to 
us the effort the Jews were making to establish their 
own righteousness without submitting themselves 
unto the righteousness of God. The righteousness of 
God, to which they would not submit themselves, is 
termed by the same Apostle "the gospel of Christ." 
(Eom. 1:16, 17.) It absolutely follows, therefore, 
that if a man becomes righteous before God, it will 
be the result of an unqualified submission unto the 
righteousness of God (i. e., the gospel) of which 
"faith" is only the initial step. That faith, if not 
productive of God-ordained works, by which it is 
made perfect, is a "dead" faith and a deception of 
the most soul-destroying character. 

Another text that is used to entrap the unwary 
into the belief that "faith alone" saves a man, is the 
following: 



FALSE FAITH TAUGHT. 



131 



"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou 
shalt be saved." Acts 16:31. This text, like the 
one quoted from Rom. 10:9, will be found in direct 
opposition to the idea of justification by "faith alone, " 
when the light of the context is reflected on it. 
Those who are zealous in propagating this popular 
view new consider that the thirty-second verse 
reveals more of the means of salvation than the text 
quoted. Here it is : 

"And they spake unto him the word of the Lord 
and to all that were in his house" (v. 32). 

It will be borne in mind by the reader that Paul 
and Silas were engaged in preaching the gospel of 
Jesus Christ, and were acting in the capacity of 
preachers only. They had no right nor authority to 
nullify any part of the gospel, nor to substitute any 
of their own personal opinions for the express com- 
mandment of the Savior. The commandment was: 

"Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing 
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and 
of the Holy Grhost: Teaching them to observe all 
things whatsoever I have commanded you." Matt. 
28:19,20. 

In discharging this duty they "spake unto him 
[the jailer] the word of the Lord," and the faith 
which the jailer possessed manifested itself unto 
obedience and he was baptized that same night (v. 33). 
The jailer's faith was made perfect by his submission 
to and observance of the mandates of Christ. 



132 



THEOLOGY MISLEADS. 



Thus it will be seen by those who are more 
anxious to observe the "all things'' commanded 
them by the Lord Jesus, than to follow a traditionary 
"faith" by which they never can attain to eternal 
life, that such an interpretation of this passage 
of Scripture (Acts 16:31) is misleading in the 
extreme. 

Justification byfaith, alone, is not an objectionable 
doctrine, when the word "faith" is allowed to retain 
its full meaning. But when it is limited to meta- 
physics, alone, it ceases to be divine and descends to 
the human. The Son of God, in whom we are com- 
manded to believe, came to earth for the special pur- 
pose of saving man from a lost condition. In the 
execution of that work he is given a threefold 
character, viz. : A witness, a leader, and a com- 
mander. (Is. 55:4.) As a witness he requires us to 
accept and believe his testimony. 

"To this end was I born and for this cause came 
I into the world, that 1 should bear witness unto the 
truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my 
voice." John 18:37. 

As a leader he requires of the disciple an alle- 
giance sufficiently strong that should the emergency 
require it, he must leave father, mother, wife, chil- 
dren, houses, lands and his life, and if he will not 
take up his cross and follow Christ, he can not be 
his disciple. See Luke 14:26, 27; Matt. 10:37, 38. 



GOD-ORDAINED WOKKS NECESSARY. 



133 



But be it remembered that in the discharge of such 
allegiance, foes will be found, even in his own house. 
Matt. 10:36. As a commander, the disciple must 
obey the mandates of Christ, into whose hands all 
power, both in heaven and inearth, is given. Matt. 
23:18. To have faith in Christ, in the Bible sense, 
we must receive him in this threefold character, and 
anything short of this is not Bible faith, whatever 
else it maybe. VTe have shown the absolute necessity 
of observing God-ordained works in conjunction 
with faith, lest we be charged with teaching that 
man may lead a life of dissipation, and put off serv- 
ing the Lord until he enters the next life, then re- 
form, and enter the celestial kingdom. We are far 
from teaching such doctrine. But we will show that 
man's actions in this life (his opportunities being 
taken into account) will determine his state or con- 
dition in the life to come. "We will also prove that 
there are three places of reward, instead of one, as 
the popular churches of to-day advocate. 

There is a class of objectors who take the posi- 
tion that the ordinance of water baptism is essential 
to salvation, and predicate that doctrine on the words 
of Jesus, when he says to Nicodemus: 

u Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be 
born of water and of the Spirit, he can not enter the 
kingdom of God." John 3:5. 



134 



WATER BAPTISM ESSENTIAL. 



The essentiality of water baptism is not denied 
by us. We believe that this ordinance is one of the 
"all things" that the Lord Jesus commanded men 
to obey, and that without obeying it no man can 
be saved. 

Then says the objector: Your theory that the 
preaching of the gospel to the dead will enable those 
who receive the message in the spirit state to be 
saved, comes in contact with this fact, viz. : the im- 
possibility of baptizing those who receive the gospel 
in the other world. Since you admit that baptism is 
essential to salvation, and that there is "no water" 
in the pit where these prisoners go, how can they 
enter the kingdom of God without being baptized? 
(See Zech. 9:11 and John 3:5.) This objection is 
well founded. Here is one of the strongest objec- 
tions that can possibly be urged against our position, 
that probation extends beyond the grave. We will 
not seek to evade the issue, but we protest against 
the allegation that the theory of continued proba- 
tion is "our theory." If the doctrine of continued 
probation had its origin with man the probabilities 
are that he would have overlooked this part of it. 
Man's wisdom is not equal to the task of devising a 
scheme that would liberate him from the power of 
Satan. The infinite wisdom of God alone can 
accomplish this. He it was who gave to man the 



BAPTISE! FOE THE DEAD. 



135 



scheme whereby salvation comes to him, and incor- 
porated in that scheme a provision by which baptism 
could be performed for the dead._ St. Paul, in remov- 
ing a heresy that obtained among some of the Corin- 
thians, who denied the resurrection of the dead, asks 
these questions : 

"Else what shall they do which are baptized for 
the dead if the dead rise not at all ? Why are they 
then baptized for the dead/*' 1 Cor. 15:29. 

This is a portion of Scripture that the Roman 

Catholic Church admits she does not understand. 

"She (the Roman Catholic Church ) does not dic- 
tate an exposition of the whole Bible, because she has 
no tradition concerning a very great proportion of it. 
as for example, concerning the prophecy of Enoch, 
quoted by Jude 11, and the baptism for the dead, of 
which St. Paul makes mention, 1 Cor. 15:29, and 
the chronologies and genealogies in Genesis. 77 — Rev. 
John Milner, D. D., in "The End of Religious Con- 
troversy, Letter XII," p. 83. 

The Roman Catholic Church finds that to con- 
fess her ignorance on this important subject is the 
easiest way to get out of the dilemma. Protestant 
theologists, however, are not willing to make this 
admission, but attempt an exegesis of this text, and 
in so doing involve themselves in the most palpable 
absurdities. Below we give Dr. Adam Clarke's views 
on this subject, and we will note a few of them. He 
says : 

"Verse 29. Else what shall they do which are 
baptized for the dead. This is certainly the most 



136 



DB. CLAKKE'S COMMENTS 



difficult verse in the New Testament; for, notwith- 
standing the greatest and wisest men have labored to 
explain it, there are to this day nearly as many 
different interpretations of it as there are interpreters. 
I shall not waste my time, nor that of my readers 
with a vast number of discordant and conflicting 
opinions; I shall make a few statements: 1. The 
doctrine of the resurrection of our Lord was a grand 
doctrine among the apostles; they considered and 
preached this as the demonstration of the truth of 
the gospel. 2. The multitudes who embraced Chris- 
tianity, became converts on the evidence of this 
resurrection. 3. This resurrection was considered 
the pledge and proof of the resurrection of all be- 
lievers in Christ, to the possession of the same glory 
into which he had entered. 4. The baptism, which 
they received, they considered as an emblem of their 
natural death and resurrection. This doctrine St. 
Paul most pointedly preached, Rom. 6:3, 4, 5: 

u 'Know ye not that so many of us as were bap- 
tized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? 
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into 
death: that like as Christ was raised up from the 
dead even so we also should walk in newness of life: 
for, if we have been planted together in the likeness 
of his death, we shall be also in his resurrection. 7 

u 5. It is evident from this, that all who die in 
the faith of Christ, die in the faith of the resurrection ; 
and therefore cheerfully gave up their lives to death, 
as they took joyfully the spoilings of their goods, 
knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a 
better and an enduring substance. Heb. 10:34- 
6. As is the body, so are the members; those who 
were properly instructed and embraced Christianity 
believed that, as all who had died in the faith of Christ 
should rise again, so they were baptized in the 
same faith. 7. As so many of the primitive follow- 



ON BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD. 



137 



ers of Christ sealed the truth with their blood; and 
Satan and his followers continued unchanged: every 
man who took on him the profession of Chris- 
tianity, which was done by receiving baptism, con- 
sidered himself as exposing his life to the most 
imminent hazard, and as offering his life with those 
who had already offered and laid down theirs. 8. He 
was therefore baptized in reference to his martyr- 
dom; and, having a regard to those dead, he cheer- 
fully received baptism, that, whether he was taken 
off by a natural or violent death, he might be raised 
in the likeness of Jesus Christ's resurrection and that 
of his illustrious martyrs. 9. As martyrdom and bap- 
tism were thus so closely and intimately connected, 
paTUTZeedaL, to be baptized, was used to express being 
put to a violent death by the hands of persecutors. 
So Matt. 20:22, 23: 'But Jesus answered and said, 
Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of,' 
etc. (can ye go through my sufferings? ) "They said 
unto him, We are able: He said unto them, Ye shall 
indeed drink of my cup,' (ye shall bear your part of 
the afflictions of the gospel). 'And be baptized with 
the baptism that I am baptized with.' (That is, ye 
shall suffer martyrdom. ) See, also, Mark 10:38. So 
Luke 12:50: 'I have a baptism to be baptized with ; 
and how am I straitened till it be accomplished." 
That is, I must die a violent death for the salvation 
of men. 10. The sum of the apostle's meaning 
appears to be this: 6 If there be no resurrection of 
the dead, those who, in becoming Christians, exposed 
themselves to all manner of privations, crosses, se- 
vere sufferings, and a violent death, can have no 
compensation, nor any motive sufficient to induce 
them to expose themselves to such miseries. But as 
they received baptism, as an emblem of death, in 
voluntarily going under the water; so they received 
it as an emblem of the resurrection unto eternal life 



138 



dr. Clarke's error. 



in coming up out of the water; thus they are bap- 
tised for the dead in perfect faith of the resurrection.' 7 

From the above lengthy exegesis of this twenty- 
ninth verse of the fifteenth chapter of I Corinthians 
the reader can clearly see the idea this commentator 
wishes to convey, viz. : that the man who became a 
disciple of Christ was "baptized for the dead" in 
anticipation of violence being employed in his own 
death. Surely the man who understands the Apos- 
tle's reasoning will see at a glance the error into 
which Dr. Clark has fallen. We will agree with him 
when he says: 4 'This is certainly the most difficult 
verse in the New Testament," when men occupy 
grounds such as Protestant theologists do. St. Paul 
is speaking about those who were already dead, and 
some of the Corinthians denied their resurrection. 
The Apostle wants to know from those who did not 
believe in the resurrection, 4 4 What shall they do 
which are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not 
at all? Why are they then baptized eor the 
dead?" The Apostle here is giving us to understand 
that in his day they practiced the doctrine of bap- 
tizing for the dead, a doctrine of which neither 
Protestant nor Catholic theology knows anything. 
Jesus Christ, without doubt, would have made a 
blunder in saying that without a man was born of 
water and of the Spirit he could not enter the king- 
dom of Grod, and then go himself and preach the 



ON BAPTISM FOE THE DEAD. 



139 



gospel to those who were dead without making pro- 
vision for their full acceptance of it. But when men 
are willing to accept the Word of God, as he gave 
it, without distortion, then will our eyes behold the 
great plan of salvation in its fullness. We then can 
behold God in his marvelous wisdom carrying on the 
preaching of the gospel in the realm of the dead and 
see " baptism for the dead 77 a feature in his glorious 
economy for the ultimate exaltation of all his creat- 
ures. 

The careful reader will see that the system of 
Christianity taught by the Church in the days of Paul- 
differs considerably from that which is taught to-day. 
In Paul's day the dead (who were in the spirit 
state) had the gospel preached to them, and baptism 
was performed for them, but how is it to-day ? The 
ministry of to-day, who never received the Spirit of 
God, do not understand these things, and conse- 
quently reject the doctrine of continued probation. 
How could Jesus Christ judge anyone unworthy of 
entering the kingdom of God because he had not 
complied with the ordinance of baptism, when such 
an one never had an opportunity of learning that it 
was absolutely necessary for him to comply with it? 
Hundreds of millions have passed into death in this 
-ignorance. Then for Jesus to say that ' 'except a 
man be born of water and of the Spirit 77 he could 



140 BAPTISM FOE DEAD OEDAINED OF GOD. 

not enter the kingdom of God, and make no pro- 
visions to meet the case of these millions who were 
already in the embrace of death would reveal a 
degree of ignorance, such as is not possessed by many 
who do not even believe in his divinity. "Baptism 
for the dead" occupies a place in the economy of the 
Creator that the theologists of to-day do not under- 
stand ; hence this is a portion of Scripture that is 
very rarely dwelt upon by them, and the ignorance 
of the common people on this question can be easily 
accounted for. But in the 4 4 restitution of all things," 
spoken of by Peter in Acts 3:19, 20, 21, this doc- 
trine of "baptism for the dead" will resume its place 
in the economy of God to the astonishment of those 
who do not believe in it. 



CHAPTER XI. 

From the preceding chapter, together with an 
appeal to the Bible in proof of the correctness of the 
position occupied by us, the careful reader will see 
that God proposes to reward everyone according to 
his works. This being the case, it necessarily fol- 
lows that there must be more than one place of 
reward. For the great difference that exists in kind 
and amount of work, done for the upbuilding of the 
kingdom of God, must necessitate different degrees 
of reward. St. Paul was beaten with stripes five 
times. He suffered by being beaten with rods three 
times. He was stoned and thrice suffered ship- 
wreck. He was in the deep for a night and a day. 
He was in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in 
perils by his own countrymen, in perils by the 
heathen in the city, in the wilderness and among 
false brethren. In weariness, painfulness, watch- 
ings, hunger, thirst, fastings often, in cold and 
nakedness. Surely such an one will rise to a higher 
glory than the easy-going mortal, who complacently 
makes a profession of Christ, and who is never sub- 
jected to any inconvenience in this life. If all those 
who are saved enter into the same place of reward, 

141 



142 HEEESY REMOVED BY PAUL. 

of what import is the language of the Apostle when 

he says : 

"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall 
all be made alive, but every man in his own order: 
Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are 
Christ's at his coming. 77 1 Cor. 15:22, 23. 

The Apostle is here removing a heresy that had 
obtained among some, w T ho did not believe there 
would be a resurrection. (See verse 12.) 

The result of his inspirational reasoning is an 
assurance that there shall be a resurrection. But 
he also says that every man shall be brought forth 
in his own order. 

The exalted reasoning of the Apostle in this (15) 
chapter has surely never been understood by the 
advocates of one place of reward. Paul anticipates 
this one place of reward theory thus: 

"But some man will say, How are the dead 
raised up- and with what body do they come? 77 He 
answers : 

"Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quick- 
ened except it die: And that which thou sowest, 
thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare 
grain, it may chance of w T heat or of some other 
grain : but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased 
him, and to every seed his own body. 77 

Then the Apostle tells us the different kinds of 

bodies and their glories. 

"There are also celestial bodies and bodies 
terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and 
the glory of the terrestrial is anothee. 



THREE GLORIES. 143 
# 

"There is one glory of the sun, and another 

glory of the moon, and another glory of the 

stars, for one star differeth from another star in 

glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead." 
1 Cor. 15:35, 42. 

We are here given to understand that there are 
three glories to be enjoyed by the resurrected dead. 
The one which is called the celestial is typified by 
the sun. The second is called the terrestrial, and is 
represented by the moon. The third is a glory 
represented by the stars, and as we are able to 
behold their infinite diversity u so also is the resur- 
rection of the dead." 

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom 
and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his 
judgments, and his ways past finding out." 

Who will bring forth the dead, every man ia his 

own order, by the resurrection, and reward them 

according to their works. In harmony with the 

thought of the three glories just mentioned, the 

Apostle says: 

"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years 
ago (whether in the body, I can not tell; or whether 
out of the body, I can not tell; God knoweth) ; such 
an one caught up to the third heaven." 

The man who has given this a serious thought 
is bound to admit, that if there be a third heaven, 
there must of necessity be a second, and it is impos- 
sible to have a second without a first. If the third 



144 PARABLE OF SHEEP AND GOATS. 

heaven can be identified with the celestial glory, the 
second hea :en must be classified with the terrestrial 
glory — and the first heaven with the glory of the stars. 

This reasoning is not out of harmony with the 
distribution of rewards, as set forth in the parable of 
the sheep and goats, found in Matthew 25:31-46. 

This parable represents Christ as having all 
nations gathered before him and in the work of sepa- 
rating them as a shepherd separates his sheep from 
the goats. The sheep are on the right, the goats on 
the left, hand. He says to those on his tight hand: 
"Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the king- 
dom prepared for you from the foundation of the 

WORLD." 

Then Christ gives the reason why they are to 

inherit such a kingdom: 

"For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat ; 
I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, 
and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I 
was sick and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye 
came unto roe.' 7 

All the above acts of kindness are done by a 
class who were in total ignorance of their ever hav- 
ing done such things. The answer they give the 
Lord manifests that ignorance. For they shall 
answer: 

"Lord, when saw we thee an hungered and fed 
thee; or thirsty and gave thee drink? When saw 
we thee a stranger, and took thee in; or naked and 
clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in 



BRETHREN, SHEEP, AND GOATS. 



145 



prison and came unto thee? And the King shall 
answer and say unto them, verily I say unto you, 
inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of 
these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.*' 

The reader will perceive at once, that the sheep 
who are rewarded by the King, and inherit the king- 
dom prepared for them from the foundation of the 
world, receive such reward for 4 'works, 7 ' which they 
had done without their knowledge, The "goats' ; are 
punished because they did not do the "works" per- 
formed by the sheep. 

The objector will say: "The sheep are the 
covenant children." Well, what if they are? Will 
not God reward those who are not his covenant peo- 
ple in a similar manner for the performance of the 
same work ? 

Will the Lord discriminate between a believer 
and a nonbeliever in rewarding them for the per- 
formance of the same work — same kind act ? 

There is not one word said concerning faith in 
Christ and obedience to the gospel, by those on the 
right, although without this belief and obedience, no 
one can be a child of the covenant. They are ad- 
mitted into the kingdom prepared for them "from the 
foundation of the world," because of certain good 
works 'performed, but they themselves did not 
understand what is so well understood by all the in- 
telligent children of God, viz., that when they admin- 
10 



146 



THREE GLOMES, THREE HEAVENS. 



istered to the needs of God's children, it was the same 
as if they had done it unto Christ. 

We clearly see from the Scriptures quoted that 
there are "three glories" "three heavens" and three 
classes of people who come up to the judgment. 

GLORIES. HEAVENS. DIFFERENT CLASSES. 

Celestial Glory. Third Heaven. Brethern. 
Terrestrial Glory. Second Heaven. . Sheep." 
Glory of Stars. First Heaven. Goats. 

The celestial glory evidently will be enjoyed by 
all those who are the disciples of Christ in word and 
deed. The other two glories will undoubtedly be 
enjoyed by all those who have not lived consistently 
enough to entitle them to the highest glory, and yet 
have done good, but for some reason have not com- 
plied with all the requirements of him who is "the 
author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey 
him." Heb. 5-9. 

The objector may enter a protest here, and say: 
You will therefore have every body to receive a 
glory, even should he only receive the glory of the 
stars. Then according to this argument none will 
be lost. We answer, none will be lost in the sense 
that the term "lost" is generally accepted, excepting 
those who commit the sin against the Holy Ghost. 
This sin is the only sin that shall never be forgiven, 
and it will appear just to any and all reasonable 



THE MORAL MAN. 



147 



men, who fully understand it, that it should not be 

forgiven. But we are positively told by Christ that 

all other sins shall be forgiven. 

"Verily I say unto you, all sins shall be forgiven 
unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith 
soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blas- 
pheme against the Holy Ghost, hath never forgive- 
ness, but is in danger of eternal damnation. ?; Mark 
3: 28,29. See, also, Matt. 12: 31,32. 

There are many who profess a love for the Sav- 
ior, who could not be happy unless those who differ 
from them, in matters of religion, were relegated to 
the lake of fire and brimstone. The moral man, as 
he is generally called, because he does not affiliate 
with someof the so-called orthodox Churches, is pro- 
vided with a "reserved seat" in the hottest corner of 
hell. Let a man be ever so honest, affectionate and 
kind to his wife, children and neighbors; sober and 
industrious, if he refuses to join "a Church" on the 
ground that his course of life is more commendable 
than that of some within its pale, he is looked upon 
as a self-righteous, wicked and dangerous man, and 
is pointed out as one standing in the way of others. 
But the truth of the matter is this, the corruption 
that exists in the Churches is the stumbling block to 
his progress. We believe that in the distribution of 
rewards such an one will inherit the kingdom pre- 
pared from the foundation of the world. 



148 



DEGREES OF PUNISHMENT. 



"While those who were more zealous in serving 
Grod with their mouths than by demonstrating 
their faith by their works, will undoubtedly be found 
among the goats. 

Since there are degrees of rewards there must 

certainly be degrees of punishments. Some are 

more desperately wicked than others, as can be seen 

by the following: 

"Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein 
most of his mighty works were done, because they 
repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto 
thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which 
were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, 
they would have repented long ago in sackcloth 
and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more 
tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, 
than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art 
exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell; 
for if the mighty works, which have been done in 
thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have 
remained until this day. But I say unto you, that 
it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in 
the day of judgment than for thee." Matt. 11: 
20-24. 

It will be noticed that in this instance Jesus 
alludes to the wicked only. The righteous are not 
mentioned in connection with this denouncement of 
ungodliness. Still for some it shall be more tolerable 
than for others. 



Why shall it be more tolerable for some than for 
others, can be reasonably asked. Because some 



WHY GOD PUNISHES THE WICKED. 149 



have sinned against greater light than others, and 
thereby became more guilty than those who had 
not as much light. 

Protestant theology, however, relegates all the 
wicked into one common lot, viz., "hell." But 
Jesus says: 

"And that servant, which knew his Lord's will, 
and prepared not himself, neither did according to 
his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he 
that knew not, and did commit things worthy of 
stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto 
whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be 
required: and to whom men have committed much, 
of him they will ask the more." Luke 12:47, 48. 

The only conclusion we can arrive at from this 
illustration, is this: The circumstances and environ- 
ment of God's creatures are taken into consideration 
by the Master, and their punishment is meted out in 
proportion to their opportunities. 

"If it be asked, Why does God punish the 
wicked? we reply, that wickedness may cease and 
righteousness prevail. That the wicked, all who 
will, may have ample opportunity to learn that 
nothing but an entire forsaking of sin, and living in 
obedience to God's laws and commandments, will 
build up Christian character; and that nothing less 
than Christian character will enable us to enter into 
his "everlasting kingdom" and enjoy the bliss of 
heaven. This penalty is sure to follow all who 
willfully disobey God and continue in sin. In this 
sense it is the wrath of God upon the children of 
disobedience. It is "wrath and indignation" against 
wickedness, but love, and only love, toward the 



150 ETERNAL LIFE MAN'S NORMAL CONDITION. 

individuals who are the workmanship of his hands. 
As God punishes in love here, so it must be that 
he punishes in love there. He is not a loving 
Father here and an implacable monster there. 
Our view is that in the intermediate and resurrection 
states God will place the wicked in such places and 
under such influences as are best suited to their con- 
dition. He does this for their permanent and future 
good, and that the righteous, without disturbance 
and interference, may enjoy the peace and bliss to 
which they are justly entitled. 

"But will not the wicked remain in torment 
throughout the endless ages of eternity ? We hope 
that few, if any, will so remain. If any are deter- 
mined to continue in sin and rebellion against God, 
they must continue in torment; but if they are will- 
ing to repent and do right, there is a starting point 
for good, and God will not stand in the way to 
oppose, neither in this life nor in the life which is to 
come. Eternal life and everlasting punishment are 
opposite conditions into which the righteous and the 
wicked will fully enter at the judgment; but we are 
told that if 'everlasting punishment' does not mean 
that the wicked will forever remain in torment, then 
'life eternal 7 does not mean that the righteous will 
forever remain in bliss. 'Everlasting' and 'eter- 
nal 7 come from the Greek aionios and literally mean 
'age — lasting.' The term applies to conditions, 
into which the righteous and the wicked will enter, 
rather than to duration of punishment. Whether 
they mean never-ending or not depends upon the 
character of the object or thing to which they are 
applied. So, in this case, as in others, we must 
determine what is meant by the connection in which 
the words are used. 

"Eternal life is the normal condition of man; 
but as we are a fallen race, it is only through the 
gospel that we can inherit eternal life. The posses- 



PUNISHMENT AN ABNORMAL CONDITION. 151 



sion of that life, as we have shown, begins here. 
'He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.' 
1 John 3:36. 'And shall not come into condemna- 
tion; bnt is passed from death unto life.' John 
5:24.* 

We may, through transgression, become unworthy 
and hence lose everlasting life. But it is our opinion 
that when we have reached that point of progress in 
the divine life, which will enable us to partake of the 
fruit of the tree of life, we have thereby secured a 
condition of peace and eternal rest, from which we 
will never fall. We need not depend upon the mean- 
ing of the words, 'eternal' or 'everlasting' as ex- 
pressing the permanency of our hope. John says 
(1 John 3:2): 'But we know that when he shall 
appear we shall be like him : for we shall see him as 
he is.' 'We shall be like him,' and 'the Son 
abideth ever.' Those who are permitted to enter 
into that fullness of rest will go no more out. 

"The condition which necessitates everlasting 
punishment is an abnormal one. It is administered, 
not for the purpose of perpetuating this condition, 
but that it may be removed. 

"We do not pretend to say how long the wicked 
will be punished, nor how severe that punishment 
will be. This remains with God, and it is our duty to 
proclaim the conditions of life and salvation; but we 
may say with safety that the duration and character 
of the punishment will depend upon the condition 
and guilt of the ones to be punished. The sufferings 
of the ungodly will evidently vary in duration as well 
as intensity. Is it not reasonable to suppose that 
the punishment will consist largely of the loss we 
shall sustain, with a clear consciousness of our folly 
and wrong? This will be hell indeed.'' — "What is 
Man?" pp. 216, 218. 



*See Chapter X for this kind of faith. 



152 RESPONSIBILITY OF PREACHERS. 



The following chapter will be devoted to an ex- 
amination of the word "hell" and also all the texts 
in which this word appears. This is done with a 
view not to convey the idea that we do not be- 
lieve that such a place exists, but to show that 
in very many places the people are misled and 
are taught doctrines that are repugnant both to the 
Bible and common sense. The ministry is directly 
responsible for such misrepresentation. Many of the 
most eminent commentators the world has ever 
seen have, by their writings, protested against these 
errors. But tradition has been so deeply rooted in 
the hearts and minds of the leading authorities of our 
popular Churches that the protest has borne little or 
no fruit. Sometimes the advancing light penetrates 
the obdurate shell of tradition and allows the prisoner 
to obtain a glimpse of the outer glories of the Infinite 
Creator. But almost invariably they share the fate of 
him who was born blind. He maintained that Jesus 
opened his eyes and for refusing to retract was "cast 
out." His parents, who knew he was born blind, 
and also knew that his eyesight was given him, but 
did not understand how he obtained it, said, "ask 
him: he shall speak for himself." Jno. 9:21. This 
they said for fear of the Jews, for it had been agreed 



CAST OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUES. 



153 



to put any man out of the synagogue who confessed 
that Jesus was the Christ. To-day, when that same 
Jesus opens a man's "understanding" and he bears 
testimony to more light than is contained in the ex- 
isting traditionary creeds, he is also "cast out of the 
synagogue" by the Pharisees and chief priests of the 
nineteenth century. 



CHAPTER XII. 

MEANING OF THE WOKD "HELL." 

The word "hell," is a word with which the vast 
majority of men associate a meaning of the most 
fearful import. The ordinary mortal, who does not 
understand the original meaning of the word, forms 
no other conception of it than that of a receptacle filled 
with fire and brimstone, into which God, the allwise, 
loving, tender and merciful Father stands ready to 
eternally consign the creature of his own hand, 
because he has not fully lived up to his laws. The 
pulpits are guilty of gross neglect in not teaching the 
pews the real meaning of this word. But perhaps 
they excuse themselves for this reason. Should the 
average mortal become acquainted with the real facts 
in the case, the base of their supplies might have to 
be exchanged for one with which more manual labor 
is connected.* Howbeit, as we shall all give an ac- 
count to God for our own deeds, it is a purely personal 
matter between them and the Judge of all. We 
will now turn our attention to the original mean- 
ing of the word we have translated "hell" in the 
Bible. 

*See Matt. 10:9, I0 > Luke 10:2, 3; Acts 20:24; 1 Cor. 9:16-18 

154 



COMMENTATORS ON "HELL." 



155 



"This is the word generally and unfortunately 
used by our translators to render the Hebrew sheol. 
"We say unfortunately, because, although, as St. 
Augustine truly asserts, sheol with its equivalent 
inferi and hades are never used in good sense. * * * 
The English word hell is mixed up with numberless 
associations entirely foreign to the minds of the 
ancient Hebrews. It would perhaps have been bet- 
ter to retain the Hebrew word sheolj or else render it 
always by 'the grave' or 'the pit' * * * It is 
now generally agreed that the word comes from the 

root 'to make hollow' (Comp. Germ. 

holle, 'hell,' with hohle, 'a hollow') and there- 
fore means the vast hollow subterranean resting-place 
which is the common receptacle of the dead. * * * 
It is clear that in many passages of the 0. T. sheol 
can only mean the grave and is so rendered in the 
A. V. (see for example GTen. 38:35, 42:38; 1 Sam. 
2:6; Job 14:13), in other places however it seems 
to involve a notion of punishment, and is therefore 
rendered in the A. V. by the word 'hell.' But in 
many cases this translation misleads the reader. It 
is obvious, for instance, that Job 11:8; Ps. 129:8; 
Am. 9:2, (where 'hell' is used as the antithesis of 
'heaven'), merely illustrates the Jewish notions of 
the locality of sheol in the bowels of the earth. Even 
Ps. 9:17; Pro. 15:24; 5:5; 9:18, seem to refer rather 
to the danger of terrible and precipitate death than 
to a place of infernal anguish." — Smith's Bible Diet. 

It will be clearly seen from the above that the 
translation of the Hebrew word sheol in to the Eng- 
lish word "hell" is sometimes misleading, and we do 
not get the correct meaning of the passage of Scrip- 



156 "hell" the unseen state. 

ture, in which it is used, when we associate the gen- 
erally accepted meaning of the word with the said 
passage. For example, "The wicked shall be turned 
into hell, and all the nations that forget God." Ps. 
9:17. 

To associate the meaning of "endless suffering" 
and "fire and brimstone" with their punishment be- 
cause the word "hell" is used in this passage is 
erroneous in the extreme. 

The word "hell" here is from the Hebrew slieol 

and means "grave" or "pit," "the unseen state." 

"Pit" is the translation of the Hebrew word beer, 

and literally means "a pit or well." The same place 

is some times called the "nether parts of the earth." 

"Nether" comes from the Hebrew word tachti, and 

literally means "lower, under." Ezekiel uses the 

terms "pit," "hell" and the "nether parts of the 

earth" all in the same sense in chap. 31:16. 

"I made the nations to shake at the sound of his 
fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that 
descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the 
choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, 
shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth." 
Ezek. 31:16. 

See the word "hell" in Smith's Bible Diction- 
ary, also, see "Probation After Death," chap. 9. 

"1. In the 0. T." "The Hebrew word for 4 helP 
is slieol (see art.) to which 4 Hades ? in the New Tes- 



•HADES THE UNSEEN STATE. 



157 



tament corresponds. Our modern word 'helP is not 
the equivalent for sheol; for while we associate with 
'hell' endless suffering, the Hebrew associated with 
sheol merely ideas of terror and repulsiveness, arising 
mainly from the mystery and uncertainty which at- 
tended the life after death, (c. f. Job 11:8; Prov. 
1:12; Isa. 38:10). 

"2. In the N. T. 'heir is the translation of 
three words in Greek — hades, gehenna and ta iarus. 
Hades has been already considered. Gehenna 
was properly the 'heir of Hebrew conception, and 
is uniformly so rendered in the revised version. The 
rebellious angels, and the finally impenitent of men, 
are cast into it. (Matt. 5:22; Luke 12:5.) Once 
the word tariarus employed (2 Pet. 2:4) and also 
rendered 'hell.' It is noticeable that neither Paul 
nor John uses either Hades, Gehenna or Tartarus 
and also, that of the twelve recurrences of Gehenna, 
eleven are in our Lord's speeches. Scripture merci- 
fully hides the condition of the lost, and by example 
forbids prurient curiosity. The way of life is lumi- 
nous from earth to heaven: the way of death is lost 
in darkness." — Schaff-Herzog Ency. of Eeligious 
Knowledge, vol. 11, p. 962. 

It is evident that our word "hell" in many in- 
stances conveys to the untutored mind a vastly dif- 
ferent meaning than the word sheol (of which "hell" 
is not the equivalent) conveyed to the Hebrew 
mind. But a misunderstanding of the facts in the 
case will not aggregate the punishment in the least. 
While a correct apprehension of -the matter would 
elevate our conceptions of God and cause us to see 



158 



THE VALLEY OF HINNOM. 



him in all his beauty, power, and majesty as "our 

Father in heaven. 7? 

The Greek word "gelienna" is: 

4 'The valley of Hinnom, a deep narrow glen to 
the south of Jerusalem, where, after the introduction 
of the worship of the fire gods by Ahaz, the idol- 
atrous Jews offered their children to Molech (2 Chron. 
28:3; 28:6; Jer. 7:31; 19:2-6.) In consequence of 
the abominations the vallej 7 was polluted by Josiah 
(2 Kings 23:10), subsequently to which it became 
the common lay-stall of the city, where the dead 
bodies of criminals, and the carcasses of animals, and 
every other kind of filth was cast, and, according to 
late and somewhat questionable authorities, the 
combustible portions consumed with fire. From the 
depth and narrowness of the gorge, and perhaps its 
ever burning fires, as well as from its being the' re- 
ceptacle of all sorts of putrefying matter, and all that 
defiled the holy city, it became in latter times the im- 
age of the place of everlasting punishment. ' Where 
their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched/ 
in which the Talmudists placed the mouth of hell: 
' There are two palm trees in the valley of Hinnom, 
between which a smoke ariseth * * * and this is the 
door of Gehenna/ " — Smith's Bible Dictionary. 

From the above description of gehenna — "the 

valley of Hinnom' ? we see the word "hell" as it is 

rendered in the Bible is only a metaphor. 

" The New Testament, in describing the punish- 
ment of the wicked, uses such terms and phrases as 
these: 'death, 7 'the second death,' 'lake of fire/ 
'outer darkness/ etc. Rom. 6:23. ' For the wages 
of sin is death; but the gift of Grod is eternal life 



METAPHORS OF THE LORD. 



159 



through Jesus Christ our Lord.' Rev. 20:14, 15. 
'And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. 
This is the second death. And whosoever was not 
found written in the book of life was cast into the 
lake of fire.' Matt. 5:30. 'For it is profitable for 
thee that one of thy members should perish and 
not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.' 7 
Matt. 5:20. 4 But whosoever shall say, thou fool, 
shall be in danger of hell fire.' Matt. 5:25, 26. 
'Agree with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art 
in the way with him ; lest at any time the adversary 
deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee 
to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I 
say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out 
thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.' 
Matt. 8:12. 4 But the children of the kingdom shall 
be cast into outer darkness; there shall be weeping 
and gnashing of teeth.' Matt. 22:13. "Then said 
the king to the servants, bind him hand and foot, 
and take him away, and cast him into outer dark- 
ness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 
Matt. 25:30. 'And cast ye the unprofitable servant 
into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and 
gnashing of teeth.' " 

"When we consider these expressions as a whole, 
and the connections in which they are used, we are 
forced to the conclusion that they are figurative de- 
scriptions of the intensity and exquisiteness of the 
punishment which shall be meted out to the finally 
impenitent, in the very nature of the case we can 
know but little of the character of future punish- 
ment, hence the necessity of figurative terms a#d 
expressions in describing it. As Cannon Farr^r 
truly says with reference to another matter concern- 
ing the future state: 'All details, as in the entire 



160 



HELL NOT LITERAL FIRE. 



eschatology of Scripture, all are left dim and indefi- 
nite. 7 But it only requires a fairly comprehensive 
view to exclude entirely the idea of literal fire. 

"When we take some of these expressions and 
make them literal, while we hold others to be highly 
figurative, it looks more like we were trying to sup- 
port some chosen theory than to learn what the Bible 
really teaches. If the 4 lake of fire' is literal, so is 
the 'outer darkness;' and then, we ask, how can 
there be literal darkness at the same place and at the 
same time that there are literal flames of fire- 

"We may be told, however, that the fire repre- 
sents the means by which they will be destroyed, 
while the darkness represents their unconscious and 
eternal oblivion in the grave. But this will not do. 
It is a careless and unsafe way of interpreting the 
Word. The Bible does not state that the bodies of 
dead men are thrown into this 'outer darkness, 7 but 
living conscious beings. More than this, they are 
conscious in the darkness, for as a result of being 
-cast therein, Jesus said, 'there shall be weeping and 
gnashing of teeth. 7 Just as the impenitent wicked 
are 'cast into the lake of fire, 7 which 'is the second 
death 7 so are they 'cast into outer darkness, 7 where 
'there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 7 
There is no escape from the positions that the dark- 
ness and fire represent the condition into which the 
wicked will go immediately after the judgment; that 
this condition is the 'second death; 7 and that in 
this second death, the wicked are conscious. It is 
clearly a state of banishment from God with a deep 
consciousness of guilt and shame. This is hell 
(gehenna) indeed! 

"These statements clearly show that gelienna, or 
'hell fire 7 as used in the Xew Testament, is a 



TEXTS IN WHICH "HELL" IS FOUND. 161 

metaphor; and we have no more right to affirm that 
the 'lake of fire,' or 'hell fire,' into which the 
wicked will be cast, is literal fire, than we have to 
affirm that God is a literal rock because he is repeat- 
edly called a rock bvthe Psalmist (Ps. 18:31; 78:35; 
Deut. 32:31). "—"What is Man?" pp. 194, 195, 196. 

Below we give a complete list of the texts of 

Scripture in which the word "hell" occurs, showing 

the original Hebrew and Greek words, from which 

it is derived, and also applying the literal meaning 

the originals convey. 

"For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and 
shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume 
the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foun- 
dations of mountains." Deut. 32:22. 

The word "hell" in this instance is translated 
from the Hebrew, sheol, and literally means "the 
unseen state." 

By reference from the 15th to 21st verses, the 
cause of this fearful threat can be seen. 

Jeshurun (another name for Israel) had departed 

from worshiping the true God and he declares his 

wrath is kindled against them and, in his anger, 

will punish them unto the lowest "grave or hell," as 

the word "sheol" means. The unseen state. "See 

Isaiah 21 in 'Probation After Death, 7 chap. 7." 
ii 



162 TEXTS IN WHICH "HELL" IS FOUND. 

Punishment awaits the transgressor against 
God's laws. These who had turned away from Grod, 
like all others, go to the pit or prison, but are deliv- 
ered when the penalty is paid. For Jesus says : 

" Agree with thine adversary quickly, whilst 
thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the 
adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge 
deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 
Verily, I say unto thee, thou shaltby no means come 
out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farth- 
ing/' Matt. 5:25, 26. 

The following is another instance in which the 
word "hell" is translated from sheol, and has no 
reference to literal fire, but to the "grave" the "un- 
seen state." 

"The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the 
snares of death prevented me." 2 Sam. 22:6. 

The deliverance of David, by the hand of the 
Lord, from the terrible scenes recorded, in the pre- 
ceding chapters of 2 Samuel, caused him to fear and 
experience the sorrows of "hell" or "the grave" the 
unseen state. He says: 

"When the waves of death compassed me, the 
floods of ungodly men made be afraid." Verse 5. 

"The Hebrews associated with sheol merely ideas 
of terror and repulsiveness." Schaff-Herzog Ency. 
of Religious Knowledge, vol. 2, p. 962. 

The unbiased and investigating person will 

clearly see the force of this reasoning from a careful 



TEXTS WHEKE IN "HELL" OCCUBS. 163 



reading of the 22 chapter, 2 Samuel. In Job 11:8, 
we find the following: 

"It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? 
deeper than hell; what canst thou know?" 

The word "hell" here is translated from sheol, 

again, and has reference to the grave or unseen state. 

The argument Zophar is making is that man can not 

find out God by searching ; he says : 

"Canst thou by searching find out God? canst 
thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as 
high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than 
hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof 
is longer than the earth and broader than the sea." 
Verses 7, 8, 9. 

St Paul voices the sentiment of Zophar when he 

says: 

"Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom 
and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are his 
judgments and his ways past finding out! For who 
hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been 
his counsellor?" Rom. 11:33, 34. 

So, in this case, the word hell falls far short of 
meaning what the average mind is taught to believe. 

This word "hell" occurs again in Job, chapter 
26:6, "Hell is naked before him, and destruction 
hath no covering." The word is again translated 
from sheol, the meaning of which is- the "unseen 
state" or "the grave," and Job in this instance only 
acknowledges the omniscience of God. The prison- 



164 



OMNIPKESENCE OF GOD. 



house, into which, the Lord gathers the wicked until 

their resurrection, is open to his sight as well as all 

things, for Paul declares: 

"Neither is there any creature that is not mani- 
fest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened 
unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.' 7 
Heb. 4:13. 

We see, therefore, that "hell, "-in this instance, 
is far from being a literal lake of fire. 

"The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all 
nations that forget God." Ps. 9:17. This text is 
one that is used by the orthodox pulpits with a good 
deal more earnestness than truth, and the unsuspect- 
ing are led to believe that a reception into a lake 
of liquid fire and brimstone awaits all those who for- 
get God. How can men allow themselves to torture 
this text to such use? But, "Vengeance is mine, 
saith the Lord, I will repay." 

"For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither 
wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." 
Ps. 16:10; Acts 2:27. It is admitted by the minis- 
try that "hell in this case means the "grave." The 
word "hell" in this case, as in the others quoted, is 
translated from slieol. The reflective mind will see 
at once that if "hell" means the "grave," in this 
instance, why will not the same word have the same 



TEXTS WHERE "HELL" OCCUKS. 



165 



meaning when applied in the first part of the seven- 
teenth verse of the ninth chapter. True it is that 
the body of Jesus did not see. corruption, but by the 
spirit he went to sheol the ''unseen state" to preach 
the gospel to those who were turned into the pit or 
prison-house, for their ungodly work and disobe- 
dience, as we have abundantly proved from the Bible 
and some of the most eminent commentators the 
world ever produced. See chapter 9. 

"The sorrows of hell compassed me about ; the 
snares of death prevented me/' Ps. 18:5. 

See 4 'Probation After Death,' 7 page 162, for com- 
ment on this same passage. 

"Let death seize upon them, and let them go 
down quick into hell, for wickedness is in their 
dwellings, and among them." Ps. 55:5. 

"Sheol" is the word rendered "hell," as the 
margin has it. In this case it again means "grave,"' 
or the "unseen state." Here David prays against 
his enemies, and desires their death. 

"For great is thy mercy towards me: thou hast 
delivered my soul from the lowest hell." Ps. 86:15. 
Sheol is again translated "hell." See margin, where 
it is rendered "'grave." 

"The sorrows of death compassed me, and the 
pains of hell gat hold upon me. I found trouble and 
sorrow." Ps. 116:3. Again, " hell " is translated 



166 



TEXTS WHERE "HELL." OCCURS. 



from sheol, "the unseen state" or "grave." But the 
psalmist continues: "Then called I upon the name 
of the Lord; 0, Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my 
soul." 4th verse. Here, an appeal to Grod for deliv- 
erance from "the pains" of hell is made, and it is 
not made in vain, for: "The Lord preserveth the 
simple. I was brought low, and he helped me. Re- 
turn unto thy rest, 0 my soul ; for the Lord hath 
dealt bountifully with thee." Verses 6, 7. This 
illustrates that those who cry to him from "hell," 
sheol, the "unseen state," are dealt with mercifully. 
There is a starting point in repentance, and, the Lord 
will hear the cry of him, who seeks the Lord, even 
though he is compassed with the pains of "hell," 
sJieolj for: "Thou shalt beat him with the rod and 
shalt deliver his soul from hell." Prov. 23:14. The 
Hebrew word for " hell" here is sheoL While the 
objector may say, this language applies to the cor- 
rection of our children, in order that they may walk 
in the paths of righteousness. With this we heartily 
agree, but are we not all the offspring of Grod by cre- 
ation? See Acts 16:26-29. St. Paul says: "For 
whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth 
every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chasten- 
ing, Grod dealeth with you as with sons; for what son 
is he whom the Father chasteneth not ? " Heb. 12:6,7. 



TEXTS WHERE "HELL" OCCURS. 



167 



It may be claimed by those who oppose our views, 
that Paul here refers to the covenant children, and 
hence others are excluded by reason of not having 
complied with the laws of adoption. But we have 
proved that those who lived before the days of Noah, 
back to the creation, were chastened for over 2,300 
years in the "pit" or "prison," and that Christ went 
and preached to them (1 Pet. 3:18-20; 4:6), and that 
by the blood of his covenant God sent them forth 
out of that "pit." Zech. 9:11. 

We have already considered the following text, 
which the reader can refer to on page 163: "If I 
ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my 
bed in hell, behold thou art there." Ps. 139:8. 

This text shows the omnipresence of Grod and 
the word "hell" is translated from sheol, the "grave" 
or "unseen state." Another text, where the word 
"hell" means the "unseen state," is found in Prov. 
5:5. 

"Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold 
on hell." Solomon's exhortation to wisdom is lost 
on him, who is inveigled by a "strange woman, 
whose end is bitter as wormwood." "Her feet go 
down to death; her steps take hold on hell." The 
word "hell" here, as usual, comes from sheol, and 
shows how the conduct of the ungodly will termi- 



168 TEXTS WHERE "HELL." OCCURS. 



nate, viz. : the "pit," as can be seen from the twenty- 
seventh verse of the seventh chapter, which says: 
"Her house is the way to hell, going down to the 
chambers of death." "Hell" here is from the same 
Hebrew word sheol. 

"But he knoweth not that the dead are there; 
and that her guests are in the-depth of hell." Prov. 
9:18. Solomon here continues his exhortation and 
points out the dangers to which the simple are 
exposed, when they listen to the voice of "a foolish 
woman," who says: "Stolen waters are sweet, and 
bread eaten in secret is pleasant." "But he knoweth 
not that the dead are there; and that her guests are 
in the depth of hell." Sheol is the word from which 
"hell" here is again translated, and means "the 
unseen state." 

"Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how 
much more then the hearts of the children of men!" 
Prov. 15:11. 

"Hell" here is also translated from sheol, the 
"unseen state." This is God's reformatory school 
for: 

"The way of the wicked is an abomination unto 
the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after 
righteousness. Correction is grievous unto him that 
forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall 
die." Verses 9, 10. 

"Hell and destruction are never full: so the 
eyes of man are never satisfied." Prov. 27:20. 



TEXTS WHERE "HELL" OCCURS. 



169 



"Hell" in this case is the translation of slieol, 
showing the illimitable capacity of the grave. We 
have examined the foregoing texts, and have found 
that in each case the word ' ' hell" comes from "sheol," 
the habitation of the dead, or "grave," or "unseen 
state." We do not wish to be understood as saying 
that those who, by reason of transgression, are made 
partakers of this condition do not suffer punishment. 
We believe they do, but not the punishment usually 
ascribed to the meaning of the word "hell," as it is 
generally understood by those who have not investi- 
gated this question. And the marvel is that men, 
who receive ample compensation to instruct the 
people, do not discharge this part of their duty, but 
leave them in a condition to say when they come 
to the knowledge of the truth what Jeremiah says 
they will, "Surely our fathers have inherited lies, 
vanity, and things wherein there is no profit." 16:19. 




CHAPTER XIII. 

In continuing our investigation of the word 
"hell," its application and original meaning, we do 
so to place before the reader what the Bible teaches 
on this subject. We have no pet theory to maintain. 
We have but one object in view, to wit, to come to a 
knowledge of the truth ourself , and then disseminate 
it among our fellow men. Let all mankind know 
what God, the Eternal, purposes to do with his 
creatures, that thereby they may have a right con- 
ception of the author of their creation. But when 
priests have theories to defend that do not harmonize 
with the Word of God, and when their "crafts" are 
in danger of destruction, when light begins to dawn 
on the minds of men, the cry of " Great is Diana of 
the Ephesians is heard." That was the condition of 
the world eighteen centuries ago, and the same con- 
ditions prevail to-day. Men are not willing to lay 
their traditions aside to accept God's ways. But 
when they shall have passed thousands of years i n 
the "pit," and the opportunity is granted them to 
accept God's plan, we believe they will yield then. 
It may be a costly lesson, but it will be far better 
than to be shut up forever in outer darkness. The 

170 



PUNISHMENT AWAITS THE WICKED. 



171 



antediluvians learned at the cost of over two thou- 
sand, three hundred years imprisonment in "the 
prison house" that the ways of righteousness pay the 
best interest in this life and in the life to come. But 
the Lord, who knows all things and that there 
"should be mockers in the last time, who should 
walk after their own ungodly lusts" (Jude 18); 
caused the prophet to say: 

"Now. therefore, be not mockers, lest your bands 
be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord of 
hosts a consumption, even determined upon the 
whole earth." Is. 28:22. 

Here we are informed that the whole earth will 

come in remembrance before God, who will punish 

its inhabitants for their iniquity. The Lord says: 

"Therefore hath hell enlarged herself, and 
opened her mouth without measure, and their glory, 
and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that 
rejoiceth shall descend into it." Is. 5.14. 

Although this punishment awaits the wicked the 
word, "hell," in this case is the translation of sheol — 
the "grave," or the "unseen state." Endless tor- 
ment is not the thought that this text conveys, not- 
withstanding its opposite application, but precisely 
the same punishment the antediluvians had to suf- 
fer, from which they were rescued by the Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

"Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet 
thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, 



172 NEBUCHADNEZZAR AN EXAMPLE. 

even all the chief ones of the earth ; it hath raised up 
from their thrones all the kings of the nations. " 
Is. 14:9. 

Here is a graphic description of the reception of 
the king of Babylon into "hell" — slieol — or the 
"grave" (see margin). His humiliation is forcibly 
outlined in the words, "All they shall speak and say 
unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? 
Art thou become like unto us?" Verse 10. This 
seems to . be said in derision by those who were 
already in slieol at seeing him (king of Babylon), 
who was in this life the terror of nations. For, 
"Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the 
noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, 
and the worms cover thee." Verse 11. In the fol- 
lowing verses the prophet seems to typify the decep- 
tive work of Satan by using the pride and ambition 
of the King of Babylon as an illustration. The 
question is asked: 

"How art thou fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer, 
son of the morning: how art thou cut down to the 
ground which didst weaken the nations: For thou 
hast said in thine heart, I will ascend unto heaven, 
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will 
sit also upon the^mount of the congregation, in the 
sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights 
of the clouds; I will be like the most high." Vs. 
12, 14. 

This destructive ambition to exalt himself found 
expression when Nebuchadnezzar said, 



POMP BKOUGHT DOWN TO HELL. 



173 



"Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for 
the house of my kingdom by the might of my 
power, and for the honor of my majesty?" Dan. 
4:30. 

But the Lord said, "Yet thou shalt be brought 

down to hell — [shoel] — to the sides of the pit," 

and the following is said of him by those who had 

preceded him there: 

"Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, 
that did shake kingdoms; that made the world as a 
wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof; that 
opened' not the house of his prisoners?" Is. 
14:16, 17. 

Yes, this is the very same man, but his iniquity 

has brought upon him the very same punishment 

meted out to the antediluvians. Here they meet on 

equal footing, every man paying the penalty of his 

own transgression. But is there no rescue from this 

condition? 0! yes, for as Nebuchadnezzar held the 

children of Isreal in bondage and "opened not the 

house of his prisoners," vs. 17, the God of Abraham 

said they should be liberated. 

"Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, 
whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations 
before him: and I will loose the loins of kings, to 
open before him the two-leaved gates: and the gates 
shall not be sLat. I will go before thee and make 
the crooked places straight : I will break in pieces 
the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of 
iron. And I will give thee the treasures of dark- 
ness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou 



174 CYRUS THE ANOINTED, 

mayest know that I, the Lord, which called thee by 
thy name, am the Lord of Israel. * * * I have 
raised him (Cyrus) up in righteousness, and I will 
direct all his ways; he shall build my city, and he 
shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, 
saith the Lord of hosts. " Is. 45:1, 4 and 13. 

As Cyrus, the anointed of the Lord, is the 
instrument used in delivering Israel from the Baby- 
lonian "prison," so Christ, the anointed Son of God 
is the instrument used in the deliverance from the 
"prison house" in the "nether parts of the earth, 
or 'hell' " of all those, who by reason of an ungodly 
and rebellious life against God were brought unto 
this condemnation. (See Ezek. 31:16.) Almost the 
same language is used in reference to Christ and his 
work of bringing out the prisoners from the prison 
as is used of Cyrus. 

"I the Lord have called thee in righteousness 
and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and 
give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of 
the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out 
the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in 
darkness out of the prison house." Is. 42:6, 7. 

It will be clearly seen that Isaiah, here, does not 
use the word, "hell," to convey the meaning that is 
generally attached to it. See Isa. 14:15. 

The same prophet uses the word, "hell," in the 
fifteenth and eighteenth verses of the twenty-eighth 
chapter, but in both cases it comes from sheol, the 



HADES THE UNSEEN STATE. 



175 



"grave," the "unseen state." "Hell" is used in the 
same sense, and comes from sheol, the "unseen 
state," in the fifty-seventh chapter, verse 9. 

There does not appear a single instance in which 
Isaiah uses the word, "hell," which warrants any- 
body in associating the idea of "fire and brimstone," 
nor anything like the generally accepted meaning of 
that word with "hell." Ezekiel uses the word, 
"hell," four times, in chapters 31:16 and 17; 32:21 
and 27. Each time the word is translated from sheol 
and means "grave," sometimes the "pit," or "un- 
seen state." See "Probation After Death," pp. 109, 
110. 

The word "hell" occurs in Amos 9:2; the text 

reads as follows : 

'•Though they dig unto hell, thence shall my 
hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, 
thence will I bring them down." 

Sheol is the word from which "hell" is derived 
in this text, and literally means the "abode of the 
dead," or "grave." 

To show the use to which this word, "hell," is 

put and the liability of misapplying it, when the 

average man knows of it having no other meaning 

than "endless torment," "fire and brimstone," 

etc., etc., Jonah says: 

"I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the 
Lord, and he heard me ; out of the belly of hell cried 
I, and thou heardest my voice." Jonah 2:2. 



176 BELLY OF A FISH CALLED "HELL." 

"Hell" in this instance is also translated from 
sheol, but here it means the belly of a fish. The 
idea of "fire and brimstone" can not be associated 
in this case with Jonah's punishment. But we can 
associate imprisonment, coupled with a vivid con- 
sciousness of the fact that he brought this calamity 
upon himself, by direct transgression of God's com- 
mandment. 

This fully illustrates the possibility of repent- 
ance, in sheol, hell; and of such repentance being 
heard by the Lord. 

The word, "hell," in Habakkuk 2:5, is also 
translated from sheol and means the "unseen state." 

We have examined all the texts in the Old Tes- 
tament, in which the word, "hell," occurs and have 
failed to find a single instance in which from an 
unprejudiced point of view, we can associate "tor- 
ment" — "flames," "fire and brimstone" with this 
word. There are thousands of well meaning people 
who have never investigated this subject, and who 
conscientiously believe that all the terrors of the 
infernal regions must of necessity be associated with 
the word, "hell," whenever it is used. A little inves- 
tigation would remove this error, for which the 
ministry is directly responsible. 

We will now investigate the word, "hell," as 
found in the New Testament. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



The word " hell 7 7 in the New Testament is the 
translation of three Greek words, viz. : hades, 
qehenna and tartarus. Hades in the Greek is the 
equivalent of slieol in the Hebrew and literally means 
the "unseen world,' 7 the habitation of the dead, the 
grave. The word occurs ten times in the New Tes- 
tament as translated from hades, and eleven times 
from gehenna and only once from tartarus. 

In Matthew 11:23 and Luke 10:15, Jesus says: 

"And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto 
heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the 
mighty works which have been done in thee, had 
been done in Sodom, it would have remained until 
this day. 77 

The word "hell 77 in both of these texts is from 
the word hades, the "unseen world. 77 "See Proba- 
tion After Death, 77 pages 148, 149, for this text. 

"And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and 
upon this rock I will build my church: and the gates 
of hell shall not prevail against it. 77 Matt. 16:18. 

Here the word "hell 77 is from hades and literally 

means "the grave 77 or "the habitation of the dead, 77 

and the term "the gates 77 has reference to the power 

which held authority over "hell 77 "which is the 
12 177 



178 HELL IS HADES IN NEW TESTAMENT. 

devil' 7 (see Heb. 2:14). Christ by his death and res- 
urrection "possessed the gate of his enemies" (Gen. 
22:17) and led "captivity captive." 

"And having spoiled principalities and powers, 
he made a show of them openly, triumphing over 
them in it." Col. 2:15. 

Two references to the word "hell" occur in Acts 

2:27 and 31. Both are translated from hades, "the 

habitation of the dead" and have been considered. 

See page 164. 

"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, be- 
hold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the 
keys of hell and of death." Rev. 1:18. 

"Hell" here is from hades and Christ declares 
that he possesses the keys of the "habitation of the 
dead, or hell." The keys represent authority. 
Therefore, Paul could say in truth, "For to this end 
Christ both died and rose and revived, that he 
might be Lord both of the dead and living." Rom. 
14:9. Jesus himself says: "All power is given unto 
me in heaven and in earth." Matt. 28:18. 

"And I looked, and I beheld a pale horse: and 
his name that sat on him was Death, and hell fol- 
lowed with him." Eev. 6:8. "Hell" is here the 
translation of the word hades, "the grave or habita- 
tion of the dead." 

The word "hell" occurs twice in Rev. 20:13, 14. 



HELL GIVES UP ITS DEAD. 



179 



"And the sea gave up the dead which were in 
it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which 
were in them; and they were judged every man ac- 
cording to their works. And- death and hell were 
cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." 

The word "heir* in both of these verses is trans- 
lated from hades, "the habitation of the dead," or 
"the grave." This teaches us that a time is coming 
when hell will be compelled to deliver up those who 
are in its embrace, and then both "death and hell" 
are to be cast into another state or condition called 
"the lake of fire." This event, however, will not 
take place until the final judgment. Those who are 
not found written in the book of life are cast into 
the lake of fire, which is the second death. (See v. 
14.) This second death will not be visited on any- 
one but those who commit the sin against the Holy 
Ghost. In the following chapter will be found an 
exhaustive discussion of what a man must know and 
do before he can possibly commit that most aggra- 
vated form of transgression. 

The word hell occurs in Luke 16:23 and it cer- 
tainly gives color to - the generally accepted idea of 
literal fire to those who have not carefully considered 
all the statements made in connection with our 
Lord's narrative. We give it in full. 

"There was a certain rich man, which was 
clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptu- 



180 BIOH MAN AND LAZARUS. 

ously every day: and there was a certain beggar 
named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of 
sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which 
fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs 
came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that 
the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into 
Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was 
buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in 
torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus 
in his bosom. And he cried and said, father Abra- 
ham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he 
may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my 
tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But 
Abraham said, son, that thou in thy life time 
receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil 
things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tor- 
mented. And beside all this, between us and you 
there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would 
pass from hence to you can not ; neither can they 
pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he 
said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldst 
send him to my father's house: for I have five breth- 
ren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also 
come in this place of torment. Abraham saith unto 
him, they have Moses and the prophets; let them 
hear them. And he said, nay, father Abraham: but 
if one went unto them from the dead, they will 
repent. And he said unto him, if they hear not 
Moses and the prophets, neither will they be per- 
suaded, though one rose from the dead." Luke 
16:19-31. 

By some, this narrative of our Lord is taken to 
be an actual occurrence. That the rich man actually 
died and went to hell and was tormented in literal 



KICH MAN AND LAZAKUS. 



181 



fire. Others have looked upon this part of the gos- 
pel as a parable, the object of which is to teach us 
what will be the result of our manner of living. 

"It plainly belongs to the very scope and design 
of this parable to show what becomes of the soul of 
good and bad men after death.' 7 — Bishop Bull. 

"Therefore, with Alford, Trench, Wordsworth, 
and the best commentators, we take the passage rel- 
ative to the rich man and Lazarus as teaching, at all 
events, two things; first, that the soul of the man is 
conscious after death; and, secondly, that, according 
to its moral character, it goes either into a place of 
happiness and repose or into one of disquiet and 
misery. These two thoughts not only lie upon the 
surface of the narrative, but they also constitute its 
very life and essence. 77 — "Discrepancies of the 
Bible, 77 pages 190, 191. 

"How, then, are we to understand this Scripture, 
and what are its teachings and design? It should be 
regarded in the light of a parable, or fictitious narra- 
tive, founded upon the belief of the Pharisees touch- 
ing the state of the dead in Hades. And it was given 
in personal reproof to them for their covetousness 
and most insulting derision of Christ's teachings 
that a man 'can not serve God and mammon. 7 He 
takes these Pharisees upon their own ground of argu- 
ment and belief, and most adroitly, in parabolic 
form, turns that very belief in withering personal 
reproof upon them for their worldliness and sin. 77 — 
"Hades and Sheol, and the Rich Man and Lazarus, 77 
pages 29, 30. 

More evidence can be adduced to show that this 

is a parable than an actual occurrence. The Phar- 



182 



JESUS SPEAKS IN PAEABLES. 



isees who were present at the time this narrative was 
delivered seems to be the ones to whom Jesus partic- 
ularly addressed himself, and to those who were not 
his disciples he invariably addressed them in para- 
bles. "All these things spake Jesus unto the multi- 
tude in parables; and without a parable spake he 
not unto them.' 7 Matt. 13:34. The disciples at one 

time asked Jesus this question: 

"Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
He answered and said unto them: Because it 
is given unto you to know the mysteries of the king- 
dom of heaven, but to them it is not given. * * * 
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they 
seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither 
do they understand." Matt. 13:10,11-13. 

We have no reason to think that Jesus deviated 
in this case from his usual manner of addressing the 
people; viz.: in parables. If this narrative then be 
a parable, its literality disappears, and the word 
"hell" which is translated from hades has no other 
meaning than "the grave," or, "the habitation of 
the dead." In this illustration we are forced to 
accept the phrase, "I am tormented in this flame" 
as symbolical of the exceeding keenness of the pun- 
ishment to which the rich man was subjected. 

The assumption that this narrative is literal will 
involve those who take this view of it in an absurd- 
ity. Lazarus is represented as being in Abraham's 



abkaham's bosom. 



183 



bosom. Consequently if the phrase "I am tormented 

in this flame" be construed to mean literal fire, in 

which the rich man was tormented, the phrase "and 

was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom" 

must also be literal. The absurdity appears at once 

on the face of such a statement. But we ask, "What 

rule of interpretation do men follow who literalize 

the word "flame/' and treat the words "Abraham's 

bosom" as a metaphor? Both terms are used in the 

same narrative. 

"By the phrase, Abraham's bosom, an allusion 
is made to the custom at Jewish feasts, when three 
persons reclining on their left elbows on a couch, the 
person whose head came near the breast of the other, 
was said to lie in his bosom. So it is said of the 
beloved disciple. John 13:25. Abraham's bosom 
was a phrase among the Jews, to signify the paradise 
of God. See Josephus' account of the Maccabees, 
chap. 13." — Dr. Adam Clarke's Commentary. 

"There was no name which conveyed to the 
Jews the same associations as that of Abraham. As 
undoubtedly he was in the highest state of felicity of 
which departed spirits are capable, 'to be with 
Abraham' implied the enjoyment of the same felic- 
ity; and 'to be in Abraham's bosom' meant to be 
in repose and happiness with him." — (Comp. Jose- 
phus, De Mace, section 13; 4 Mace. 13:16). 

"The latter phrase is obviously derived from the 
custom of sitting or reclining at table which prevailed 
among the Jews in and before the time of Christ. 
By this arrangement the head of some person was 



184 



NARRATIVE OB PARABLE. 



necessarily brought almost into the bosom of the one 
who sat above him, or at the top of the triclinium, 
and the guests were so arranged that the most fa- 
vored were placed so as to bring them into that situ- 
ation with respect to the host. (Comp. John 13:23; 
21:20.) 

"These Jewish images and modes of thought are 
amply illustrated by Lightfoot, Schottgen, Wett- 
stein, who illustrated Scripture from Eabbinical 
sources. It was quite usual to describe a just person 
as being with Abraham, or lying on Abraham's 
bosom; and as such images were unobjectionable, 
Jesus accommodated his speech to them, to render 
himself the more intelligible by familiar motions, 
when, in the beautiful parable of the rich man and 
Lazarus, he describes the condition of the latter after 
death under these conditions.' 7 — Biblical, Theologi- 
cal and Ecclesiastical Cyclopaedia, vol. 1, p. 33. 

We can safely conclude that this narrative of 

our Lord is a parable, and as such the literality of 

it vanishes at once. We do not, however, wish to 

convey the idea that no punishment is inflicted on 

those who are disobedient and descend into Hades or 

the abode of the unrighteous dead. For the rich 

man desires Abraham to send Lazarus to "dip the 

tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue.' 7 He 

undoubtedly was placed in the same condition as 

those who were in "the pit wherein is no water." 

See Zechariah, 9:11, and "Probation After Death, " 

p. 77. But were sent out from that place by the blood 

of the covenant of Jesus. 



GEE AT GULF FIXED. 



185 



The objector may ask: Where will they go if 

they are sent out of that condition? They can not 

go to where Abraham is, for he says: 

"And besides all this, between us and you there 
is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass 
from hence to you can not: neither can they pass 
to us, that would come from thence. " Verse 26. 

If God's plan of salvation, and his methods of 
distributing his rewards were as narrow and con- 
tracted as Protestant and Catholic theology teach, 
we could not answer that question. Beyond a doubt 
such men as the rich man can not reach Abraham's 
bosom or "the celestial glory, ?? but thank God there 
are still two other glories provided by the God of 
the Bible where men will be rewarded according to 
their works. Instead of only one place of reward, 
viz., "heaven, ?? as our theologists aver, we have 
shown that there are at least three (see "Probation 
After Death, 7 ? pp. 143-146) one of which the sun is 
typical, one typified by the moon and one of which 
the stars in their infinite variety represent. There- 
fore we can not arrive at any other conclusion than 
that the word hell used in this parable is only a 
metaphor and its literalness is destroyed when 
viewed from an unprejudiced standpoint. 

The word hell occurs in Matt. 5:22. "But 
whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in danger of 



186 



TAETAKUS OCCUKS ONCE. 



hell fire." "Hell" here is the translation of the 

Greek word "gelienna" and literally means the " valley 
of Hinnora." See "Probation After Death," p. 158. 
This word "hell" also appears in Matt. 5:29-39; 
10:28; 18:9; 23:15-33; Mark 19:43-45-47; Luke 
12:5, and James 3: 6. Each time it is translated from 
the Greek word "gehenna." The ui e ettered mind 
who can risu above tradition and creedism will per- 
ceive on a close examination of these texts and their 
connection, that they are but highly figurative descrip- 
tions of the intensity and exquisiteness of the pun- 
ishment meted out to the finally impenitent. 

The word -"hell" as the translation of the Greek 
word raprapow^ tartarus, occurs only once in the Bible, 
2 Pet. 2:4: 

"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, 
but cast them down to hell, and delivered them unto 
chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." 

This word is taken from Greek mythology and 

is defined by Webster as follows: 

"The infernal regions, described in the Illiad as 
a place as far below Hades as heaven is above the 
earth, and by later writers as the place of punish- 
ment for the spirits of the wicked. By the later 
poets, also, the name is often used synonymously 
with Hades." 

That there must be a place of greater punish- 
ment fcr fallen angels than for fallen men, must 
appear just when the degree of light from which 



DEGKEES OF PUNISHMENT. 



187 



both have fallen is considered. The Savior taught 
that Capernaum would be visited with a greater pun- 
ishment than Sodom, because of the greater light 
bestowed upon it. The angels who were cast down 
with Satan sinned against the greatest degree of 
light. Hence their punishment to be just must be 
in keeping with the standing they once held before 
God. "For unto whomsoever much is given of him 
shall be much required/' Luke 12:48. Those to 
whom the light of revelation is given by the Holy 
Ghost and who sin as the angels did by deliberately 
choosing to serve Satan become his angels. They 
will be made partakers of the same punishment to 
be meted out to Satan and his host. They are they 
who commit the sin against the Holy Ghost. They 
have never forgiveness in this life nor in that 
which is to come. Neither their place of punish- 
ment nor its nature are revealed in the Bible. 



CHAPTER XV. 



THE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. 

The various theories that obtain among Protest- 
ant theologists as to what constitutes the sin against 
the Holy Ghost, reveal to the reflective mind a few 
indisputable facts. One of the facts which these dis- 
cordant theories force upon our attention is, that 
these theologists are in ignorance as to what really 
constitutes this most heinous form of transgression. 
Another indisputable fact is, that since it is mere 
speculation with these so-called divines as to what 
constitutes this sin, they are not qualified to teach 
intelligently on this subject. Hence, in theology, as 
well as in all other sciences, it is an axiom in life, that 
man can not teach that which he does not under- 
stand himself. 

Jesus Christ, the greatest teacher and theologist 
that ever lived, did not teach what the nature of that 
sin was until after his ascension. It is true that he 
says: 

"All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be for- 
given unto men : but the blasphemy against the Holy 
Grhost shall not be forgiven unto men." Matt. 12:31. 

188 



SIN AGAIXST THE HOLY GHOST 



189 



While we are informed by the Savior that the 
olasphemy against the Holy Ghost "shall not be for- 
given" 7 we are not told what constitutes that blas- 
phemy. It is left to the Apostle Paul to tell us what 
man must do in order to become guilty of this, the 
greatest of sins, He says: 

"For it is impossible for those who were once 
enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, 
and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and 
have tasted the good word of God, and the powers 
of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to 
renew them again unto repentance; seeing they cru- 
cify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put 
him to an open shame. ?; Heb. 6:4, 5, 6. 

In order then for man to commit the sin against 
the Holy Ghost he must first be made a partaker of 
the Holy Ghost. For man can not commit this sin 
in ignorance. He must first be "enlightened,' 7 and 
taste of this heavenly gift. He must also taste of 
the powers of the "world to come.' 7 Then after he 
has experienced these things, if he falls away from 
them, he can not renew them again unto repentance 
because he crucifies the Son of God afresh and puts 
him to an open shame. To illustrate this: 

When God created man and placed him in Eden, 
he was a perfect man, sinless and pure. His 
acquaintance with his creator is vouched for by the 
Bible, and Adam in that sinless state could converse 



190 



SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. 



face to face with his God. The Lord gave him all 
the herbs, trees and beasts of the field and fowl of 
the air for meat. He was also given authority over 
the fish of the sea, fowl of the air, and every living 
thing that moved upon earth. He was called upon 
to name all cattle, fowl of the air and beast of the 
field, and when God accomplished the masterpiece of 
his creation on earth, Eve, Adam was also called 
upon to give her a name and did so by calling her 
''woman." Up to this time Adam knew not 
the consequences of a violation of the laws of his 
creator, with this exception, he knew God told him 
that he would die. See "Probation After Death," p. 
25." 

Banishment from the presence of God into tribu- 
lation and death was the result of the first transgres- 
sion. In this terrible night of sorrowful exile from 
the presence of God, his offspring are taking a pro- 
bationary course in the grand university of experi- 
ence. We must all learn the eternal lesson that an 
observance of the laws of God is the only means 
whereby we can regain the favor of our Heavenly 
Father. For this purpose was Christ sent into the 
world, that he might redeem all from death and 
teach man a code of laws, an observance of which 
would bring him back to a knowledge of his God. So 
Jesus says to those who believed on him : 



SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. 191 

"If ye continue in my words then are ye my 
disciples indeed, and ye shall htow the truth and the 
truth shall make you -free." John 8:31, 32. 

A knowledge of God and- himself is what Jesus 

would have his disciples come to, and this knowledge 

he terms "life eternal. 7 7 

"And this is life eternal that they might know 
thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou 
hast sent." John 17:3. 

This knowledge is not obtainable but by the 

operation of the Holy Ghost upon the disciple of 

Jesus Christ. To this end Jesus taught his disciples, 

saying: 

"But the comforter which is the Holy Ghost 
whom the Father will send in my name, he shall 
teach you all things, and bring all things to your 
remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you." 
John 14:26. 

The Father therefore sends the Holy Ghost in 
the name of Jesus to teach the disciples of Christ, 
"all things" he had said unto them: This Holy 
Ghost is the only means by which man can come to 
the knowledge of God. For Christ positively says: 

"No man knoweth who the Son is, but the 
Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he 
to whom the Son will reveal him." Luke 10:22. 

The lesson that Jesus teaches in this instance is 

this: No man can know the Father except Christ 

reveals him and no man can come to a knowledge of 

who the Son is except the Father reveals him. 



192 SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. 

This is forcibly illustrated in the sixteenth chap- 
ter of Matthew, when the Master asked his disciples: 
6 i Whom do men say that I the Son of man am!" 
After being told that some thought he was John the 
Baptist; some Elias, and others Jeremias, he turns 
and asked them the question; "But whom say ye 
that I am?" Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ 
the Son of the living God." Note the answer of 
Jesus. "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh 
and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my 
Father which is in heaven." Matt. 16:13-17. 

Peter therefore came to a knowledge of who 
Christ was because the Father revealed it to him 
from heaven. Peter's mind was enlightened by the 
revelation he received from the Father and came to 
a knowledge that Jesus was the Christ. A short time 
previous to his ascension the Lord being with his 
disciples, we read: 

"Then opened he their understanding, that they 
might understand the Scriptures, and said unto 
them, thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ 
to suffer and to rise again the third day: And that 
repentance and remission of sins should be preached 
in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusa- 
lem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And 
behold, I send the promise of my father upon you 
but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be 
endued with power from on high." Luke 24:45-49. 



SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. 



193 



Here the Son of God opened their understand- 
ing and commanded them to stay in Jerusalem until 
they received power from on. high. The promise 
was: "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy 
Ghost is come upon you. " Acts 1:8. Accordingly, 
on the day of Pentecost, ''suddenly there came a 
sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and 
it filled all the house where they were sitting and 
there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of 
fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were 
all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak 
with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utter- 
ance. " Acts 2:1-4. 

Here the disciples received the gift of the Holy 
Ghost. By its influence their minds were opened, 
and in this enlightened condition they tasted of the 
heavenly gift. They were made partakers of the 
Holy Ghost. They also tasted of the good word of 
God and of the powers of the world to come. If 
they had fallen from this condition they never could 
have recovered themselves by repentance. Why 
could they not renew these things by repentance? 
For this reason, they now had arrived at a definite 
knowledge of God, and their sin would be of the 
most aggravated character because it would be com- 
mitted, not in ignorance, but with absolute knowl- 
edge coupled with a willful determination to disobey 

13 



194 SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. 



him who had revealed himself to them. When Adam 
fell, he fell in ignorance of the terrible consequences 
of his transgression, and God, in his mercy, re- 
deemed him. But those who are brought back into 
fellowship with God to the extent that they are made 
partakers of his Holy Spirit and the powers of the 
world to come, and then turn their backs on this 
inestimable boon, which is 1 'eternal life/ 7 fall never 
to be redeemed. It would necessitate the sacrifice 
of the cross over again to redeem such an one. 
Adam transgressed in ignorance, but these, if they 
transgressed, would do so with absolute knowledge. 

The inquirer may ask if the Apostles alone could 
commit that sin! No. The Samaritans, who received 
the gospel under the preaching of Phillip and the 
gift of the Holy Ghost under the hands of Peter 
and John, could commit that sin if they yielded 
themselves servants to the devil. See Acts 8:5-18. 

The disciples whom Paul found at Ephesus, and 
rebaptized and who received the Holy Ghost under 
his hands, could commit that sin if they, too, yielded 
to Satan. See Acts 19:1-6. 

The inspired Peter, on the day of Pentecost, says 
to the multitude that if they would comply with the 
demands made on them by Jesus Christ that they 
should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost also. Peter 



SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. 195 



also says this gift is for them and their children and 
for all that are afar off even as many as the Lord 
our God shall call. See Acts 2 : 38, 39. 

But since the fatal day when the church was 
wedded to the state in the time of Constantine up to 
the present, not one church has been organized in 
all Catholic and Protestant communions which has 
followed divine teaching closely enough to enable it 
to elevate its members to such a degree in the knowl- 
edge of spiritual things whereby they might receive 
the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

Notwithstanding the fact that the members of 
such church organizations comply with all the require- 
ments imposed by their disciplines, their disclaimer 
of the operations of the Holy Ghost at the present 
time, as in Apostolic days, is evidence of the most 
overwhelming character that they are not in posses- 
sion of the gift. Therefore, not being in possession 
of the gift of the Holy Ghost, it is an absolute im- 
possibility for them to commit the sin against it. 
But the objector may enter a protest at this juncture 
and say: The Bible is the gift of the Holy Ghost, 
and that was what Peter had reference to when he 
said: 

"Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, 
for the promise is unto you and to your children and 
to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our 
God shall call." Acts 2:38, 39. 



196 SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. 

We will examine this objection briefly and show 
the absurdity of such a position. 

If Peter had reference to the Bible when he said: 

"Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost," he 

should have told them so, that they should each 

receive a Bible. But since Bibles can be purchased 

with money, this same Peter says to Simon, who 

desired to purchase this gift : 

u Thy money perish with thee because thou hast 
thought that the gift of God may be purchased with 
money. 77 

It is evident that those who set up this plea 
have allowed their intelligence to be dwarfed by 
their ambition to establish this tradition. A mo- 
ment's reflection reveals the absurdity of this posi- 
tion. If the Bible be the gift of the Holy Ghost, 
then every one who holds to that theory, and who 
has sinned against the Bible, is damned to all 
eternity. They have neither forgiveness in this life 
nor in that which is to come. This absurdity is 
fully exposed by the Bible itself. 

The Samaritan converts who received the gospel 
also received the gift of the Holy Ghost over sixty 
years before the last book in the New Testament was 
written. With these evidences before us it is an 
easy matter to see that men are doing to-day what 
Jesus said the Jews were guilty of. " Full well ye 



SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. 197 



reject the commandment of God that ye may keep 
your own tradition." Mark 7:9. 

St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians, 
speaking in reference to the gifts of the Spirit 
mentions nine of them, viz: ""Wisdom, knowledge, 
faith, gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, discern- 
ing of spirits, tongues, and interpretations of 
tongues." 1 Cor. 12:1-10. It must appear evident 
to the seeker after truth that since these are the gifts 
of the Spirit or Holy Ghost, man who is not in pos- 
session of any of these gifts can not commit sin 
against them. Both Protestant and Catholic theolo- 
gists are united in their declarations that these gifts 
ceased with the death of the Apostles. 

Says Cardinal Gibbons: 

"Peter, it is true, besides the prerogatives 
inherent in his office, possessed also the power of 
working miracles, and the gift of inspiration. These 

two latter gifts are not claimed by the Pope, as they 
were personal to Peter and by no means essential to 

the government of the Church." — "Faith of Our 
Fathers," p. 132. 

If the gift of the Holy Ghost is received by 
neither Catholic nor Protestant communicants as 
in apostolic times, they themselves being the wit- 
nesses, then we stand by our proposition, that not 
one in all Catholic or Protestant communiondom is 
capable of committing that sin if he tried never so 
diligently. 

•See "Which Glory Will I Occupy?" advertised on third page of cover. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



CONCLUSION. 

In the discussion of continued probation beyond 
the grave, the author has no apology to make for 
that which the Bible teaches on this important sub- 
ject. We have no desire to present to our readers 
anything but what is sanctioned by the Scriptures. 
We have no pet theory to defend. Therefore this 
discussion was undertaken from an unbiased point 
of view, and should the thoughts here expressed 
overthrow the theories formulated by men, we are 
not responsible for it. 

The chief objects sought in this discussion are: 
1st. A vindication of the character of God. It 
is conceded by all religious bodies that God is infinite 
in wisdom, knowledge and power, love, justice and 
mercy, long-suffering and kind. Since these are the 
attributes of God we have shown that he knew that 
man would disobey him. It would be a blasphe- 
mous insult to God to attribute ignorance to him on 
this point. He knew man would fall and provisions 
were made by him to meet the emergency. How is 
it possible for man to acknowledge him as all-power- 
ful and at the same time believe that he would allow 

198 



CONCLUSION. 



199 



the devil to thwart his purposes as the theologists of 
to-day teach? But surely such men have never 
grasped the thought expressed in the declaration of 
Jesus, "For the Son of man is not come to destroy 
men's lives, but to save them." They rather reflect 
the spirit that moved James and John, who wished 
to destroy those who would not at that time recieve 
the Master. The seeming long delay in sending the 
Messiah after the "fall" is too deep a subject for 
Catholic or Protestant theology. Such a theology 
would consign to eternal sorrow and torment the 
myriads of souls who never had an opportunity to 
learn the plan of salvation. But he whose ways are 
past finding out has taught differently. Therefore 
we trust that our vindication of his plan to save 
these countless millions has caused the reader to see 
God in the grandeur of his majesty and the infinite 
fullness of the atonement of Jesus Christ. 

2d. To place in the hands of our fellow-men 
such a simple and comprehensive digest of the plan 
that God purposed to carry out in dealing with men 
as will enable the careful student to detect and repu- 
diate any imposition designing priests may seek to 
practice. 

3rd. To teach man that God has three glories 
in which men will receive a reward according to their 
works. Should a man's life not be so consistent as 



200 



CONCLUSION. 



to give him a title to the celestial glory, it might be 
of such a character as to give him entrance to the 
terrestrial glory. Should he fall below that he has 
the reward of the glory of the stars. God has 
designed that all men shall receive a reward in some 
one of these glories. The heathen are to have part 
in these glories as well as those whose opportunities 
have been greater than theirs. 

4th. To teach men that the only class of indi- 
viduals who will not receive a reward in either the 
celestial or terrestrial glory or the glory of the stars 
is that class which comes to a knowledge of God, 
through Christ, b} r direct revelation in this life, and 
who, in the face of this, deliberately choose to serve 
the devil. This class commits the sin against the 
Holy Ghost. They become angels to the devil be- 
cause they choose to serve him rather than God. 
They will be very few in number. 

5th. To stimulate, if possible, a desire to ac- 
quire a more extended knowledge of the Word of 
God, which was given to be a lamp to our feet and 
a light unto our path. This wonderful lamp may 
have already reflected a light on this subject of 
future probation, which never dawned before on the 
reader's mental vision. To such an one we say 
"Search the Scriptures, " and when it testifies re- 
ceive the testimony. 



CONCLUSION. 



201 



* It is this which has led the author of "Probation 
After Death" to see God in all his glorious attri- 
butes. Dogmatic theology is the bed Isaiah speaks 
of in the following words: 

"For the bed is shorter than that a man can 
stretch himself on it:, and the covering narrower 
than that he can wrap himself in it." Isa. 28:20. 

A theology that can not reach every man for 
whom Christ died, and bring him back to a knowledge 
of God "in due time" as God himself has declared he 
would do, does not prescribe a form of religion that 
will entitle a man to a 4 'right to the tree of life 7 ' nor 
entrance "through the gates into the city," which is 
the celestial glory. See Rev. 22:14. 

No doubt to some this may be a "hard saying," 
but if men will not learn the lesson Christ would 
have them learn in this life, they will be compelled 
to learn it in the life to come. This lesson may 
have to be learned at a tremendous cost, but the 
Lord's resources are more than ample for the emer- 
gency. He taught the Antediluvians the lesson he 
intended they should learn, by giving them a course 
of instruction of over two thousand, three hundred 
years in "the prison-house." The Lord intended 
that they should learn that lesson in this life. But 
their stubborn hearts would not yield to the entreaties 
of Noah, and through their own perversity they 



202 



CONCLUSION. 



brought the vengeance of a just and offended God 
upon themselves. The condition of the world to-day 
is identical with the condition of the world in the 
days of Noah. 

The "Word of God is set aside in order to main- 
tain the traditions of men, and as sure as the Lord 
liveth those who stubbornly oppose the plain teach- 
ings of his Word shall learn to their sorrow the lesson 
God would have them learn, in the prison. house. A 
period of a thousand years at least will elapse be- 
tween the first and second resurrections. See Rev. 
20:5. 

To this period of a thousand years will be added 

the number of years that intervene between the 

present and the first resurrection. As the judgment 

does not occur until after the last resurrection, those 

who must learn the lesson of life in the prison-house 

will have ample time to repent of all the ungodliness 

committed in the flesh. Then will they learn the 

meaning of that which is written. 

' 'Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him. 
and given him a name which is above every name: 
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of 
things in heaven, and things in earth, and things 
under the earth: and that every tongue should con- 
fess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God 
the Father. 77 Philippians 2:9, 10, 11. 



FINIS. 



NOTICE TO ALL PREACHERS. 

Gentlemen: — My final answer to all my pulpit 
critics is as follows: 

Sign the proposition on page 11, naming time 
and place, and inclose your credentials. 

Respectfully, 

Philemon Pement, 

Moberiy, Mo. 



203 



